DANIELA Sarti used to wash dishes in her father's restaurant in Glasgow.

Today, she owns the eaterie - along with two other outlets - after successfully heading a management buy-out of the Sarti's chain.

Two restaurants in Bath Street and Wellington Street have switched from father to daughter in a deal worth £5million.

Daniela Sarti and five other directors led the buy-out. The sellers were her father Sandro and his business partners Piero Sarti and Gerry O'Donnell.

History has repeated itself. Daniela and her team bought the Sarti restaurant in Renfield Street in 2002 and business has been booming.

Daniela and her partners have now expanded by buying up the two other Sarti's which together have a yearly turnover of around £3m and profit of £500,000.

The deal coincides with the credit crunch, and rising food prices especially on Italian imports because the euro is trading so strongly.

But Daniela is undaunted and said: "We are making sure everything is very Italian with the set-up, and we are very focused financially, setting our targets and driving towards them. Everything seems to be good."

Her buy-out partners are Patricia Diamond and Patrick Collins along with Vicky Black, Renato Cimini and head chef Michele Arrighi.

Daniela, a graduate from the Strathclyde Hotel School, is not phased by the multi-million pound deal.

She said: "It is a great feeling. I began washing dishes in Wellington Street and I really have worked my way through. We are not looking to change anything. If it isn't broke, don't fix it."