Visitors to bustling hotspot Xintiandi need only turn a corner to escape to an oasis of peace and tranquility.

Since 2001, the exquisite T8 restaurant and bar has captured the imaginations of many a diner with its visually appealing and sumptuous fare.

Visitors to the fine-dining outlet have also left satisfied with the warm and efficient service, among one of the most spot-on in the city. Stylishly-attired staff greet diners, which this year has included luminaries like the Prince of Denmark, Taiwanese pop singer Coco Lee and Formula One drivers Ralf Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, among others, with a smile and usher them through an unforgettable dining experience. There are times one almost forgets they are still in Shanghai.

Of course, good help does not grow on trees and requires extensive training to get with the program. While the hot shot chefs manning the kitchens can take the credit for the tasty treats served night-in, night-out, it is the well-dressed gent behind the scenes that has spent the past four years shaping the restaurant into the culinary paradise it is today.

General Manager Walter Zahner knows a thing or two about hospitality.

The German-speaking Swiss, who initially trained as a chef after baking and cooking for his large family in his native Kaltbrunn, has served in hotels in Hong Kong and Thailand before settling here.

No stranger to lofty standards, he took his Rembrandt Bangkok hotel dining outlets - Rang Mahal (Indian), Senor Pico (Mexican) and Red Pepper (Thai) - to critical acclaim before taking up a food and beverage directorship in the Banyan Tree Allamanda Laguna Phuket. It is here in the heart of Southeast Asia that Zahner saw potential in the region.

"Bangkok was very comfortable to foreigners," says the sartorially-savvy 40-year-old. "The staff was very helpful and willing to serve. That's why so many hotels in Thailand are so good. Look at the Oriental in Bangkok for instance, with the people you can achieve so much."

Zahner was later lured back to city living when he became resident manager at the Sofitel Hyland Shanghai in 2000.

In his many years here, however, he maintains that teaching service standards remains the biggest challenge. "For me as a Swiss, it feels a little in-born to be a host to guests; the rest you learn in school then you develop yourself. When I arrived here, the biggest challenge was to get my staff to understand how to welcome people and that serving is not category of work."

Having committed so much to building the staff service skills, however, another common complaint in the industry is that anyone with a modicum of talent gets poached by other companies at great pace. Zahner admits that while tiring, more often than not he rejoices at a job well-done.

"Yes, it's tiring and takes a lot of energy of you (training staff), but at the same time I'm proud - if I can give away something to my people, the knowledge, it's reward for me too. I'm not just here to have fun and get an expat package."

Over his years here, the avid wine buff who was among the founders of the Shanghai Wine Society, has seen his three chefs come and go. The latest on his way out is precocious talent Patrick Deng.

The Australian-Chinese leaves at the end of January to work with a Michelin two-star chef in Rome after a about a year and a half of radical culinary creations. Replacing the intense Deng will be Hungarian Jeno Freidl, who is currently cooking at the five-star La Dunas beach hotel and spa in Spain.

When asked which of three his favorite was, he earnestly stated that the favorite chef is the one he has at the time.

"While the first two months are a challenge - culture shock, ingredients et al - the good thing is that we're evolving the food. T8 is always about exciting new food, and each chef has his own style. We're offering an experience that's not the same steak or risotto but unusual combinations that make you go 'wow'."

With Christmas approaching, the restaurant is hosting a dinner with dishes representing different countries around the world. Zahner was particularly looking forward to the traditional caroling and entertainment as he hoped to see the Christmas spirit grow here.

The soft-spoken operator also has another project launching this week. In addition to his position with T8 and his advisory role with parent company Fuchun Resort, the Swiss also runs his own management firm - Walter Hospitality Management Co (WHMC).

On Saturday, WHMC is opening Nam Thai, a modern Thai bistro in LOFT, a new creative zone in the city's downtown.

Zahner has brought in a pair of Thai chefs and a Thai manager, and the restaurant will offer old favorites such as green curry and Tom Yam soup, Bangkok street food as well as fusion takes.

Dishes such as spaghetti with Thai anchovies and spicy tomatoes will be on the menu while the pandan leaf creme brulee sounds especially appetizing.

Nam (which means water and an obvious play on Zahner's first name) Thai will also be featuring a small wine list comprised of about 80 percent organic wines. While these are hard to come by locally, Zahner hopes to promote the organic ideal.

(Shanghai Daily December 13, 2007)