After 10 weeks of intense challenges, Anisa Khan, owner of Bombay Pizza in Wallington, and Amber-Rose Badrudin, co-founder of Oree Mart in Croydon, are through to the penultimate round of the competition.
Joining the two south Londoners in the final five are virtual assistant company owner Chisola Chitambala, animation entrepreneur Jordan Dargan, and air conditioning business owner Dean Franklin.
The remaining candidates will face the show’s notoriously tough interview round on Thursday, April 10, where their business plans will be scrutinised by some of Lord Sugar’s most trusted advisers.
Only two will be selected for next week’s grand finale, where they’ll pitch for the £250,000 investment and a business partnership with the tycoon himself.
Anisa Khan is no stranger to competition – she’s not only a self-described go-getter but also an English Kabaddi player.
She launched Bombay Pizza to bring bold Indian Italian fusion to the high street.
Bestsellers include the Chicken Tikka Masala pizza, Aloo Gobi, Vegan Bombay Brinjal, and Tandoori Wings.
Speaking to the BBC, Anisa said: “I’ve built a highly rated Indian-Italian fusion pizza business from scratch – managing everything from menu creation to operations and marketing.”
She plans to expand via dark kitchens in high-demand areas, with hopes of becoming a nationally recognised brand.
Meanwhile, Amber-Rose Badrudin has impressed with her branding savvy and business flair.
The Croydon entrepreneur owns Oree Mart, a modern Asian supermarket on Surrey Street, which she co-founded during lockdown with her business partner Michael.
The pair bonded over their shared love of food and cultural roots – Vietnamese and South Asian – and aimed to make Southeast and East Asian cuisine more accessible.
Amber-Rose, who has over 700,000 TikTok followers, told Your Local Guardian: “We created Oree Mart to showcase the best of Asian cuisine in a way that’s modern, welcoming, and educational.”
Last week’s task saw the candidates design an eco-conscious fashion brand. Workwear owner Liam Snellin and entrepreneur Mia Collins were fired by Lord Sugar.
The week prior, Max England was let go after a challenging TV shopping task.
The Apprentice continues Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
