The Dinner Ladies snare Janine Allis on Shark Tank

IN FRONT of Australia’s leading business men and women on Channel 10’s hit reality show Shark Tank, The Dinner Ladies hooked themselves a winner.

Matraville ladies featured on Shark Tank

SOPHIE Gilliatt had no idea how terrifying it would be facing down the panel of respected investors as she waited on the stage of Channel 10’s hit reality show Shark Tank.

The Randwick businesswoman, co-owner of home delivery start-up The Dinner Ladies, said staring down the wealthy entrepreneurs alongside her business partner Katherine Westwood was one of the most confronting things she had ever done.

“I cannot tell you much it is designed to instil maximum fear … what viewers don’t see is the whole bank of lights in front of you,” Mrs Gilliatt said.

But the ladies’ gamble paid off after Boost Juice founder Janine Allis bought a 30 per cent stake in their business for $217,000.

Katherine Westwood and Sophie Gilliatt and their business The Diner Ladies were recently featured on the channel Ten show Shark Tank.

Gilliat and Westwood fronted the investors in a bid to expand their Matraville commercial home cooking kitchen into other markets.

At first they offered the sharks a 30 per cent slice of their business proposal, a spin off food truck.

But the sharks didn’t take the bait, eyeing off the ladies’ main operation which turned over $2.5 million last year.

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During negotiations on the show, Mrs Allis said she had been “extremely impressed” with the business’s potential.

She said the pair’s passion, determination and sense of fun had attracted her as a potential stakeholder.

Mrs Gilliat said Mrs Allis had become a mentor since appearing on the show.

Boost Juice founder Janine Allis is one of the hosts of the Shark Tank. Picture: Eugene Hyland

“Like us she operates in the food space and she is national, which is where we want to end up,” Mrs Gilliat said.

“The only difference is she is worth $65 million and we’re not — that’s a difference we are hoping to change.”

The Dinner Ladies story started in 2007 when the duo, who have seven children between them aged 8-17, started cooking for time-poor families in Mrs Westwood’s backyard shed.

Mrs Gilliat said since their episode aired the business had received calls from all over Australia.

“At the moment it’s reaching people we can’t service, like Perth and Brisbane, but it gives us an idea of where we would want to go.”

Shark Tank judges Steve Baxter, Janine Allis, host Sarah Harris, Andrew Banks, Naomi Simson and John McGrath.

Shark Tank airs on Ten, on Sundays at 8pm.