Despite the inexplicable decision to end Below Deck Mediterranean without a reunion, fans can still get some insider scoop from Season 4. Cast members have been making the rounds on Watch What Happens Live in a bid to make up for it, and also extend their fifteen minutes of fame.
Most recently was the interior supporting team of Anastasia Surmava and Aesha Scott. These gals were the most competent and least dysfunctional duo that Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier had to work with. They also became good friends with their superior and never questioned her work ethic, unlike in previous seasons. So their storylines had less to do with discussing Hannah’s inadequacies and more to do with the aftermath of Anastasia’s shortcomings in the galley.
Anastasia carried the chef position for a good half of the season. She had no official training, but did a fine job relying on her instincts and experiences. Anastasia started off timid and panicked but then seemed to find her footing. Unfortunately, her confidence turned into a bit of noticeable arrogance before she succumbed to more panic and anxiety before quitting.
Anastasia appeared on Watch What Happens Live to answer questions about her time as chef and the attitude she developed during her time in the galley. One caller accused her of becoming, “a little too big for her britches in the kitchen. She asked Anastasia how she felt about her behavior after watching the season. Anastasia opined, “I mean, yeah, looking back you always learn things about yourself.”
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Anastasia replied, “Here’s the thing: I had everybody telling me, especially my chief stew [Hannah Ferrier] and my captain [Sandy Yawn], ‘you need to have a chef’s attitude, you need to step it up, you need to act like a chef.’ Inside, I was internally combusting, and on the outside, I was just trying to hold it together. So I think I was just maybe trying to convince myself that I could do it.”
Andy Cohen asked Anastasia if she thinks there is any hypocrisy regarding the way male and female chefs are expected to act. She explained, “Yeah, I think there was a huge double standard, I mean, especially because I didn’t have the experience to be in that position in the first place. But I was trying super hard, and I was trying to act like everybody was telling me I needed to act.”
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Another caller questioned Anastasia’s comment to Aesha that vacuuming “doesn’t take as much brain power” and that creating a provisions list. Anastasia revealed that she, “apologized many times.” But Aesha never took offense to the comment. She explained, “[I] wasn’t so much insulted. It’s just like, on the show you get so close that it was like my sister giving me a snarky comment. So I was just like, ‘Sorry!’ The way I would [with] my own sister. Yeah it doesn’t matter.”
After the stress of the position took its toll on Anastasia and she quit the galley, Bravo veteran chef Ben Robinson filled the position. He praised Anastasia’s work saying, “I’m really proud of her. I actually admired what she did. There’s absolutely no resentment there. I’m proud of her. She killed it.”
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Anastasia may have amazing potential as a chef, but it doesn’t seem like going for official training is on her near horizon. She is currently posting from Sri Lanka where she is involved with a yoga shala.
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ANASTASIA’S ATTITUDE IN THE GALLEY? DO YOU THINK THERE IS A DOUBLE STANDARD IN THE WAY SHE AND BEN WERE EXPECTED TO BEHAVE?
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo]
