A restaurateur from Caversham hopes to cook up a storm in the boardroom as she battles against other would-be tycoons in the new series of The Apprentice.

Yasmina Siadatan, who runs the Mya Lacarte restaurant in Prospect Street, will spend the next 12 weeks competing for a six-figure job from infamous businessman Sir Alan Sugar in the hit BBC show.

Viewers will see the 27-year-old undertake a gruelling series of business tasks set by Sir Alan as the 15 hopefuls get a taste of what life is like at the top in the cut-throat business world.

Yasmina spent time in Los Angeles and Iran before settling in Reading and opening the classy eatery with her brother Matthew and head chef Remy Joly in 2007, offering British dishes cooked using only locally sourced or organic products.

The economic history graduate, who first experienced the business world in her dad’s restaurant, describes herself as “dominating yet adaptable” and believes the key to success is about “spotting a gap in the market and filling it better than anyone else”.

The keen marathon runner said: “Business is about a simple formula. Make more than you spend. That’s what I do, I keep business simple and it works.”

Yasmina hopes to emulate her business idol Richard Branson and avoid hearing the dreaded words: “You’re fired” as she puts her talent to the test in the fifth series of the reality show.

The first episode sees her line up alongside other would-be apprentices, including a lawyer, an ex-professional footballer, a chess champion and a former Gavin Henson lookalike, as they attempt to run a cleaning business.

The high fliers also include two international candidates – a New Yorker who has performed Mozart in Carnegie Hall and a Tanzanian beauty queen.

The 15 candidates were officially unveiled yesterday by Sir Alan – worth an estimated £830million – who said: “I don’t care where you’re from or what your last job was. You think you can second guess or play me?

“Well let me tell you – I’m as hard to play as a Stradivarius.

“First prize, you get to work with me – second prize doesn’t exist.

“I’m going to find out if you’re the real deal or just a bunch of empty designer suits and dresses.”

- The Apprentice starts on BBC1 at 9pm next Wednesday.

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