I would argue that being the chef on a motor yacht while filming Below Deck must be the most challenging job. A chef is expected to memorize charter guest preference sheets, cook for the crew, and make late-night snacks. As a one-man or woman galley, the pressure is astronomical. But some cheffys perform their job like a wonderfully written ballet. While others sadly crash and burn. With that in mind, here’s a definitive ranking of every Below Deck chef from the original series…
8. Anthony Iracane
It wasn’t hard to fall in love with Chef Anthony Iracane. The Frenchman was sensitive and made some very distinctive dishes. Anthony was far from your typical yacht chef. He wasn’t aggressive and was mourning the loss of his father. However, Anthony didn’t perform well under pressure and was ultimately fired. We can agree that Anthony was a good chef; he just wasn’t cut out for the motor yacht world.
7. Leon Walker
Season 3 of Below Deck introduced fans to Leon Walker. He was quite talented when it came to whipping up delectable meals, but he was not known for his table-side manor. In fact, Leon was quite argumentative, especially with Kate Chastain. While on Eros, viewers grew tired of his constant bickering. Even though he had the promise of becoming one of the best chefs, he let his ego in the way. It didn’t help that Leon only sometimes granted the wishes of the guests. In the end, he left Eros and the galley dirty.
6. Adrian Martin
After rewatching Season 6 with chef Adrian Martin, I am convinced he would have been hit with a sexual harassment case if he was still working. The young chef was misogynistic, arrogant, and creepy, but his kitchen skills were some of the best ever seen on the show. He has a knack for making some of the most difficult creations look like a piece of cake. But like a lot of chefs, Adrian’s coarse personality rubbed some of the crew the wrong way. Laura Betancourt found him to be tasteless as he would make inappropriate sexual jokes at work. Needless to say, Adrian was a hard chef to swallow.
5. Matt Burns
Chef Matt Burn’s downfall was his inability to hold his liquor. He should have taken a note from the foodie charter guests who were sober. Even though he often rocked the guests’ tastebuds, Matt kept dropping the ball in little ways. The crux of the issue seemed to be his heartache over his ex. Matt was a star in the kitchen and also came to the need of the deck crew when docking.
4. Nick Tatlock
The newest chef to the Below Deck galley was Nick Tatlock. He was interesting, to say the least, and enjoyed a good conversation with himself. After replacing Chef Anthony, Nick excelled at his job and showed why he had been in the business for so long. Even though his plating was a little bland, his food was delicious. He didn’t win over fans when he pointed out that Paris Feild would gain weight if she kept eating mayo. But in the end, his food spoke volumes.
3. Ben Robinson
Gosh, I just loved watching Ben Robinson on Below Deck. He was quirky and sarcastic and knew what he was capable of producing. Chef Ben was outgoing and cared for his crew. Ben’s infectious laugh instantly made him meme-worthy, but his food spoke for itself. The English native always knew exactly what to make when in the kitchen and never let the heat push him out of his galley.
2. Kevin Dobson
Every so often, when I am making a major screw-up, I find myself saying, “Mr. Dobson!” For me, Kevin Dobson was perhaps one of the funnier chefs to grace the Below Deck screen. Between his bad case of diarrhea and his penis cake, I just think Kevin was the best of both worlds. Not only could the man cook, but he could also keep up with the crew and Kate’s shenanigans. So it made sense why he was one of New Zealand’s most sought-after chefs. It also helped that he made some amazing meals for the crew, even if the quantity wasn’t always enough.
1. Rachel Hargrove
The potty mouth of Below Deck, Rachel Hargrove is hands down the best chef. WE. LOVE. RACHEL. The American was always consistent with what she produced for the charter guests and usually went over the top. With little to no negative reviews from guests, Rachel was outspoken, to say the least. But she could whip up a ten-course dinner with no questions asked. Who could forget Eddie Lucas raving about the “best” French toast he had ever had? Rachel knew how to keep guests fed and happy; that is the currency in the yachting world.
TELL US – WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE BELOW DECK CHEF?
