‘Below Deck Mediterranean’ Features Some of the Biggest Kitchen Disasters and Meltdowns in the History of the Show
Every season of Below Deck Mediterranean has featured at least one kitchen disaster or chef meltdown. From chef Ben Robinson and chief stew Hannah Ferrier’s miscommunications to chef Hindrigo “Kiko” Lorran’s epic “Vegas Night” disaster, no chef has journeyed through a season unscathed. So what are the biggest kitchen disasters and chef tantrums from each season?
Chef Ben tried to get Hannah Ferrier fired over miscommunications during ‘Below Deck Med’ Season 1
Robinson became so frustrated with Ferrier, he reported her lack of communication to Captain Mark Howard. Dressed in his uniform, he approached Howard in the bridge to launch a formal complaint against Ferrier. “Hannah is not admitting that she is to blame,” Robinson said in season 1 a confessional. “Have a little responsibility and say, ‘Yeah Ben, I screwed up.'”
But Robinson believed he needed to get Howard involved when he wasn’t getting what he needed from Ferrier. Robinson told Howard a “problem arose with our chief stewardess.” Robinson explained that Ferrier didn’t properly set the table for the meal he prepared and wanted Howard to know she was shirking her duties. For her part, Ferrier was frustrated that instead of coming to her, Robinson went directly to the captain, which could put her job in jeopardy.
“I’m my almost 30 years of experience, I’ve never had a crew member consciously get changed just to come up and talk to me about what they considered to be a transgression between them and another crew member,” Howard said in a confessional.
Chef Adam angrily added onions to a guest’s food during ‘Below Deck Med’ Season 2
Chef Adam Glick fumed that deckhand Malia White chose bosun Wesley Walton over him so he took out his aggression on a charter guest. When charter guest Kenny Novotny requested “no onions” in his dishes, Glick rolled his eyes and added them anyway. Glick said the dishes he prepared for the guests needed onions for flavor and thought he could slide them in under the radar.
But Novotny detected them in more than one dish and Captain Sandy Yawn became concerned. Glick later admitted he added onions out of spite for the guest, but also because he was hurting and wanted to lash out. Yawn wanted to fire Glick but gave him another chance because finding a chef at the last minute was a challenge. She later learned Glick put onions in the guest’s food more than twice. “In all fairness, I had no idea it was three times. I only knew about twice,” Yawn said on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. “So the third time I would have fired Adam. I had no idea until I watched the show.”
‘Below Deck Med’ Season 3 charter guests were the problem this time, not the chef
The first charter of Below Deck Mediterranean Season 3 became a nightmare for Glick when the group of women complained nonstop – almost just to complain. They immediately attacked the crew for not being fast enough with a bowl of nuts they requested after they boarded the boat.
But then they complained about how Glick presented their meal, comparing it to dog food. Glick created a pasta dish, typically presented in a large bowl. “Why is it in a bowl?” one guest said. Another guest piped up and added their preference sheet indicated “no starch.”
“I’m sorry, my dog eats food like this,” one of the guests added. They continued to complain, but meanwhile the primary digs in and started to eat. Finally, the guests wanted to talk to Glick. They tell him, “I hate the food it looks like slop.” Adding, “Never bring another dinner in a bowl.”
‘Below Deck Mediterranean’ Season 4 crew were shocked when the chef licked a steak and made food from a box
Chef Mila Kolomeitseva was the first female chef on Below Deck, but she didn’t last very long. After dealing with a bout of food poisoning before the first charter, Kolomeitseva tried to rally … much to the crew’s dismay. When the guests wanted Mexican food, she covered a plate of corn chips with cheese. For the first time ever, Ferrier refused to serve it to the guests.
She also prepared steaks for the guests but was seen licking a raw steak, likely testing for flavor. She cooked the steaks but later put them in the microwave before they were served to the guests. Later, she made “homemade” pancakes from a box and served lunch made from canned “slimy” fish. Yawn knew what she had to do. Yawn tried to be gentle when she fired Kolomeitseva, knowing that the chef tried her best. “As a human being, I have all the compassion in the world. But as a captain, I have to let you go,” Yawn told her.
Chef Kiko’s ‘Below Deck Med’ Season 5 ‘Vegas Night’ became his ticket home (but Chef Tom had the biggest meltdown)
Below Deck Mediterranean had two chefs. Lorran was sweet and eager to please, whereas chef Tom Checketts was a perfectionist and often let his emotions get the best of him. Lorran proved he was a talented and creative chef, but he had too many misses amongst the hits. When a group of guests requested a “Vegas Night” dinner, he asked Ferrier for a point of reference. Unfortunately her version of “Vegas Night” didn’t translate and the guests, who were very gracious, referred to the dinner as a “kids birthday party.”
Lorran left the boat and Checketts finished the season. But Checketts’ meltdowns were notable, even to the point where he brought stew Aesha Scott to tears.
The chef disaster and meltdown track record is strong on Below Deck Mediterranean. So will Below Deck Med Season 6 carry on the “tradition?” Season 6 kicks off on Monday, June 28 at 9/8c on Bravo.
