What’s It Like to Be a Stew on a Yacht Like ‘Below Deck?’
If you crave variety in your workday, then a job working in the interior of a superyacht may be for you. Stewardesses or “stews” are on the front lines of guest hospitality. They are constantly pouring drinks, serving food, cleaning up, doing laundry and concocting inventive ways to entertain and thrill the guests.
Below Deck gives viewers a sweet peek into what it takes to work with an interior crew, plus what the chief stew’s position looks like. The interior team is constantly having to find creative ways to entertain the guests during bad weather and work as the liaison between the yacht chef and the guests as well. While there isn’t an “average” day on a superyacht, here’s what someone who works on the interior team might experience.
Morning
Rising before the guests is important so a 6 a.m. start time is typically in order, Fresh Yacht reports. While the deck crew readies the exterior of the yacht, the interior team prepares the breakfast area. This includes setting the table and making coffee or tea. At this time the interior team may meet and review notes from the chief stew or meet with the chief stew. Chief stew Kate Chastain often seems to work well into the evening so she may not be present during the early morning.
The interior team serves breakfast around 9 am. While guests are eating, a few stews will attend to the guest cabins. This includes tidying and replenishing supplies like toilet paper. One stew gets the dubious honor of being on laundry duty. Which often seems to fall on the third stew’s shoulders on Below Deck. In addition to tidying the guest areas, the interior staff is often in charge of keeping the crew mess clean. Plus doing the crew’s laundry.
Afternoon
The interior team reviews plans for the day before noon, which includes making reservations or setting up for a guest activity. Stews usually set up for crew lunch and take a quick break before guests have lunch around 1 pm. Before the guests sit down for lunch, the interior team will create and fun and inviting tablescape.
They serve and clear lunch, working with the chef to orchestrate the task flawlessly. Stews clean up after lunch and help preparations for an afternoon activity or the evening’s meal.
Evening
Stews change into their formal attire to serve the evening meal. Once the guests have left their cabins for the evening, stews clean the rooms and add small touches like leaving chocolates on the pillow. When a Below Deck charter hosted two small children, Chastain and second stew Josiah Carter set up the children’s stuffed animals for a tea party.
After a quick meal, stews work with the yacht chef like Adrian Martin to serve and clear guests’ dinner. Stews also help to completely clean the galley after dinner too, which can be time consuming. By about 10 pm two out of the three stews go to bed. One stew remains on call to attend to any guest needs. The stew must remain available until all guests have gone to bed. Often the stew will leave a note for the early interior crew with any guest breakfast requests or wake up calls.
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