A very unusual business transaction's taken place with one of New Zealand’s best known restaurants.

Sidart has been run by Auckland restaurateurs Chand and Sid Sahrawat for over a decade, but they've decided to help their long-time friend and chef to buy their restaurant.

Now in essence, the pair have loaned Lesley Chandra the money to purchase the business.

He has paid a "token deposit" as part of the takeover transaction and will pay off the balance in chunks.

Chand Sahrawat told Heather du Plessis-Allan that Covid has drained some of their energy, so they decided to sell the restaurant. 

"When we started out in 2009, we were helped by someone who was like an angel investor. 

"So we just wanted to pay it forward."

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