Production for Below Deck Mediterranean has an uncanny way of throwing Captain Sandy Yawn for a loop when it comes to yacht chefs. We’ve seen completely unqualified chefs with a penchant for the political rhetoric of a former KGB agent turned Russian dictator, only hired to put the first female in the galley. Mila Kolomeitseva didn’t last long. Then there were the adequate, but sensitive types like Kiko Lorran who only needed some support and freedom to cook in his style. Adam Glick had a glitch with onions, but otherwise consistent with his food. His moods were a different story, but he kept himself in check enough not to quit every time he had a rough day.
Leave that characterization to Chef Mathew Shea. This season’s new chef has an impressive resume and the food output is stellar. But anxiety and insecurity will be his downfall. He’s quit twice already and was expecting to be fired this past episode, but Captain Sandy inexplicably gave him the option to stay. What was her reasoning? Was it the fan backlash for the termination of Kiko? Did she decide that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t? Or maybe it’s been the substantial tips that changed her mind.
Below Deck alums Chef Ben Robinson and Chief Stew Kate Chastain are hosting Below Deck Mediterranean Galley Talk this season. The had strong opinions about how Mathew should have been dealt with
Chef Ben told Us Weekly on Thursday, August 5 that, “I don’t think people actually get fired. I think people actually fire themselves, and I think he was worthy of having fired himself a couple of times.”
Mathew self-sabotaged himself by quitting not once, but twice. First he feigned a knee injury to get out of cooking as his anxiety spiraled. Then, after a crew night out, Mathew grew irate, whacked some cameras, packed his bags, and exited the boat. The catalyst? Courtney Veale, Malia White and Katie Flood asked him to stop the TMI at the dinner table.
Mathew responded, “I don’t like people giving me s–t. I’ve worked too hard to get s–t for being myself. Give me crap for being myself, it’s like, f–k you.”
RELATED: Captain Sandy Yawn Says Mathew Shea Is The Laziest And Has The Biggest Problem With Authority On Below Deck
Unknown to Sandy and the rest of the crew, Mathew packed his bags that night, muttering the whole time. “They can find some f–ker to do their s–t,” he ranted, “good luck. You’ll have some f–king asshole chef now.”
Kate suggested that Mathew’s stress stems from a lack of awareness for all the work a yacht chef does. She said, “I’m not sure how much experience on yachts he has, because he seems surprised that he needs to make the food for the crew. He should not be surprised.”
Ben didn’t try to rationalize Mathew’s thought-process, just that he thinks Mathew should have been fired already. “Sandy, you know, she’s being a very diplomatic boss,” Ben said, “She’s really trying with him, and I really hope it works out. It’s an interesting manager managerial skill. She’s very zen and she’s got obviously a very big heart … but personally, I probably would have let him go.”
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BEN AND KATE’S COMMENTS? SHOULD MATHEW HAVE BEEN GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE? WILL HE QUIT AGAIN?