Apprentice star Kate Walsh offered old chip shop job back
Kate is one of the hot favourites to win the BBC show and is now a high-flying licensing development manager based in leafy Hampshire.
But Zac – whose name is Greek for ‘sugar’ – believes the Hednesford woman’s business skills and determination to succeed were honed at his chippie.
During those nine months in 1998 she served and cleaned for the princely sum of £3-an-hour.
And he is so confident of his former apprentice’s ability that he has placed a £100 bet on her netting the plum job with Sir Alan. Any winnings will be given to charity.
Zac, 40, said: “Kate was always polite and punctual when she worked here. She was always on time and well presented and you always knew she was going on to bigger and better things.
“She came here at 16 and you knew straight away that she wouldn’t be one of the girls who leave the area and come back. She was going to really do something.
‘‘When she said she was having time off to study, she really studied. I read a piece in the local paper about all the ‘A’ grades she got.”
Kate can thank Kelly Storey and Kelly Millington, schoolmates at Blake High School, for securing her first paid job at the chippie. They already worked at the fish bar and put in a good word for her.
It was a gamble, but it paid off big-time for Zac whose family has run the award-winning business for 35 years.
Kate went on to serve at McDonalds and was also a part-time model.
Zac added: “I’ve had reporters approach me, trying to dig the dirt on Kate, but I’ve got no time for them.
‘‘Kate was a good, hard-working girl who had a strong family behind her.
“I saw her five years ago when she came in for some chips and she’s welcome here anytime.”
