The owners of one of Auckland’s iconic Indian restaurant chains are selling up part of its local eateries to set up business in the Middle East.

After being in business for a decade and serving the local Sandringham community, the hospitality giant is now launching overseas.

Paradise owner Waseem Mohammed told the Herald the decision to sell two of its four eateries on Sandringham Rd was in hopes for a “new beginning”.

The brand’s Dine-In and Party House operations are up for grabs.

 “We have plans to open outlets nationally and internationally.

“We want someone to join us so we can share responsibilities and focus on expansion.”

Paradise Indian restaurant's two outlets are for sale on Sandringham Rd. Photo / Michael Craig

Mohammed said Paradise had already successfully opened an outlet in Saudi Arabia.

“We plan to open one in Auckland CBD and Hamilton. We also plan to open more branches in the Gulf, including Dubai.

 “It is very exciting for us and the outcome has been very good. We are not only expanding our brand but also the NZ business community. Everyone has been happy with this step.”

Mohammed said, despite the sale, Paradise would always be a part of the Sandringham community.

“We would still be operating takeaways and catering services across the city. We have been so thankful for the community’s help and support during our hard times. We want to give them back by further expanding our brand.”

Paradise Indian Restaurant launches in the Middle East. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Paradise employs about 160 full-time and part-time staff, and a bulk of its customers are of South Asian ethnicity.

In 2021, the restaurant chain made the “painful decision” to shut its famous all-you-can-eat buffet as a result of the pandemic.

“We tried to hang on as long as we could, but with Covid spreading and daily cases still in the hundreds, we decided it was not possible to keep the buffet going,” Mohammed said at the time.

He said the very nature of a buffet meant food would be left exposed and it would be very difficult to maintain safe distancing for diners going up for food.

“It was a painful decision but a necessary one because if we had just one case of coronavirus spreading from the buffet, our entire brand and all our other outlets will be damaged,” he said.

Mohammed said he was consolidating his chefs and staff to focus on a la carte dining and takeaways at the three remaining outlets on the street.

Paradise started as a restaurant at the western end of Sandringham Rd shops, but then opened a buffet outlet around the corner and in 2016 shifted its takeaway operations a few shops down.

In 2020, the chain took over the corner space where Prague Bar used to operate, with a view to expanding the main Paradise restaurant - but has since decided to turn it into a kebab and Middle Eastern pizza operation called Kebabish.

Akula Sharma is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2022. She has previously worked at the Gisborne Herald.