Chef In Black
DealSpecialty Food
Chef In Black, the specialty food, landed on the national radar after pitching the sharks in Season 1, and convinced Barbara Corcoran to invest.
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Shark Tank products move fast. Names change, packaging changes, and some sell out or get discontinued. The Amazon button checks live price and availability for Chef In Black.
From the show
The Shark Tank pitch
- $50K
- Asked for
- 10%
- Offered equity
- $500K
- Sought valuation
- $50K
- Deal amount
- 40%
- Deal equity
- $125K
- Deal valuation
Dorene Humason faced the sharks in Season 1, Episode 11 in the episode that aired January 8, 2010, bringing their Folsom, CA business with them. Chef In Black, the specialty food, pitched in the Food & Drink category, one of 318 food & drink businesses to brave the Tank across all 17 seasons.
They came in asking $50,000 in exchange for 10% equity, putting a $500K valuation on the business.
Barbara Corcoran made the deal at $50,000 for 40% equity. That priced the company at $125K, a haircut from the $500K the founders walked in asking for, which is how negotiations in the Tank usually go.
Across Season 1, 27 of 64 pitches ended in a handshake. In the Food & Drink category overall, roughly 61% of pitches have landed a shark across the show's history.
The full story
Everything to know about Chef In Black
Chef in Black was a line of Asian fusion salad dressings and seasoning packets created by Dorene Humason of Folsom, California. The product aimed to bring bold, restaurant style fusion flavor to home cooks in a convenient package. By the time of the pitch, the brand had already earned shelf space in well over a thousand stores, giving it real proof of demand rather than just a concept.
Humason asked for a modest investment for a small stake, planning to widen distribution and roll out a bottled dressing line. Barbara Corcoran made an offer at a higher equity level, and the two reached an on air agreement. Corcoran's retail and consumer marketing background looked like a natural match for a food brand trying to push into more stores.
What made the segment notable was the existing traction. Unlike many founders pitching an untested idea, Humason walked in with distribution already in place, which gave the sharks confidence the product could move. The tension came over strategy, specifically how aggressively to expand into bottled dressings.
Where Chef In Black is now
The deal with Corcoran ultimately did not come together, reportedly because the two could not agree on the bottled dressing direction. Even so, Humason pressed ahead, rebranded around a California Asian fusion dressing identity, and grew distribution to roughly two thousand stores, including Walmart.
The business later ceased operations, around 2016, after a packaging problem forced the company to pull product from shelves and damaged its finances. The brand had a strong retail run for a small food company, but it did not survive that setback, and Chef in Black is no longer an active brand.
Where to buy Chef In Black
Chef in Black is no longer in business, so its dressings and seasoning packets are not available to buy through any current channel. The brand pulled its product from shelves and wound down, and there is no active website or retail listing for it today. If you are after an Asian fusion style dressing, you will need to choose from the many comparable sauces and dressings currently sold in grocery stores and online.
Is Chef In Black still in business?
Read our 2026 update on where the company is now.
Sold on Chef In Black?
Check today's price and availability before it swims away.
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Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy Chef In Black?
Check current price and availability on Amazon. Note that some Shark Tank products are discontinued or sold under a new name. The company's official website is another option.
Did Chef In Black get a deal on Shark Tank?
Yes. Chef In Black closed a deal for $50,000 in exchange for 40% equity, with Barbara Corcoran.
Which shark invested in Chef In Black?
Barbara Corcoran invested in Chef In Black ($50,000 total as aired).
What season of Shark Tank was Chef In Black on?
Chef In Black appeared in Season 1, Episode 11, which aired January 8, 2010.
How much was Chef In Black asking for on Shark Tank?
The founders asked for $50,000 for 10% of the company, a $500K valuation.
Is Chef in Black still available?
No. The brand ceased operations around 2016 after a packaging problem forced it to pull product from store shelves. The dressings are not sold through any active channel today.
Did Chef in Black get a Shark Tank deal?
An on air agreement was reached with Barbara Corcoran, but it did not close, reportedly over disagreement about the bottled dressing strategy. The founder continued on her own afterward.
Who created Chef in Black?
Dorene Humason of Folsom, California, created the Asian fusion dressing and seasoning line. She grew it to roughly two thousand stores, including Walmart, before the brand wound down.
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