Stirring the plot! The Below Deck franchise has had its fair share of drama over the years — and Below Deck Down Under is no different.
The spinoff show, which premiered on Peacock in March 2022, left a memorable impression on viewers when it came to feuds, firings and chaos. During the first season, fans and cast alike found it difficult to defend chef Ryan McKeown as he failed in the workplace and ended up at odds with his coworkers.
Before the show aired, Aesha Scott hinted that her professional relationship with Ryan quickly took a turn. “If arrogant was, like, personified, it would be Ryan. He’s a very arrogant man,” the New Zealand native exclusively shared with Us Weekly in March 2022, referring to Ryan as “difficult” to get along with. “I think that that’s something that everyone — not just as a chef — it’s kind of difficult to be around anyone that’s arrogant.”
According to the Below Deck Mediterranean alum, it was easy for her to not get too affected by Ryan. “For me, I’ve been doing yachting for a long time and every chef is a difficult toddler. I don’t know why that’s just how they are,” she continued. “So, he was no different. I kind of expect it from every chef I work with.”
Captain Jason Chambers also weighed in on the complicated relationship between Ryan and the crew.
“I like everyone. We all had a great time. [Ryan’s] food was great and you saw in the first episode that the guests responded to his food,” the Australia native detailed to Us, adding that Ryan would “stir up drama” the most. “Every crew battles fatigue and working environments change and attitudes change. And then when the attitude changes, as I said, they lose focus.”
Jason noted that he had no problem letting someone go if they weren’t doing a good job, saying, “In the yachting industry, there’s gonna be ups and downs. We’re trying to achieve the high standard in hospitality and these guests are paying money and we need to constantly not lose that focus,” he added. “If people can’t see that, or they have an attitude against that, as a captain, I have to make changes.”
At the time, Jason offered a glimpse at how he preferred to discipline his team as their boss.
“[If someone gets] hindered by someone else’s issues then I let the crew sort that out themselves. Then they start to learn themselves that we’re gonna stick together,” he explained. “Let’s just not go there. Let’s just not do it. Let’s enjoy our working environment and be respectful to each other and enjoy and have fun.”
Scroll down for more of Below Deck Down Under‘s most shocking moments: