Set to make a lot of dough, baker’s girl who’s won TV’s Apprentice
FOR some, the burning down of a family-run business would be too big a setback to overcome.
But Carina Lepore has safely negotiated that misfortune – and is now set to see her artisan bakery flourish after winning The Apprentice and being hired as Lord Sugar’s business partner.
The 31-year-old, who has won a £ 250,000 investment, owns Dough bakehouse in Herne Hill, south London. The money will help build her business after her father’s bakery was gutted in 2015. Miss Lepore said she feels ‘over the moon’ after beating recruitment company founder Scarlett Allen-Horton, 32, in last night’s final on BBC1.
Having always wanted a coffee shop, she decided to join forces with her Italian father, Carlo, 57, who is a keen baker, to open Dough in February 2018. Her sister Rachelle also works alongthis side the pair. Miss Lepore said: ‘My dad had a shop and it burnt down in 2015. It spiralled him into depression – very sad to see as he’s not that type of man. He’s very happy, focused in business, like myself.
‘That’s when it triggered me into thinking, “Right this is it,
‘I am living the dream’
is Carina’s moment”. I proposed having my own coffee shop, he is a passionate baker, so let’s merge the two and see how big we can go with this.’
She employs nine people and hopes to open two more shops in 2020. She hopes her seven-yearold son Lucas will learn that you can ‘live your dreams’.
‘It feels incredible, I feel over the moon with what I have achieved, I am so happy,’ she said. ‘I hope he [Lucas] is going to learn that the motto I stand by is that he can do and be whatever he wants to be.
‘I’ve always wanted to work with Lord Sugar, have my own shop, my own brand. I am living my dream.’
Miss Lepore is statistically the most successful Apprentice candidate ever, winning nine out of ten tasks and never being brought back to the final boardroom, where contestants can be ‘fired’. Announcing Miss Lepore as the winner, Lord Sugar quipped: ‘I’m trying to think of the scaling up of your business, but I like the idea of more bread – so Carina, you’re going to be my business partner.’
Miss Lepore said the bakehouse prides itself on its fresh produce – in particular, bread – and warm customer service.
She said: ‘Not everyone wants a Tesco cheap cheese sandwich – that’s not going to make someone’s lunch nice.’
Miss Allen-Horton said: ‘I am delighted for Carina and grateful for the opportunity.’