Should you wake a sleeping chef? That’s a question Below Deck Mediterranean second stew Elena “Ellie” Dubaich had to ask herself during the Season 9 premiere. When Dubaich requested a variety of experiences during her service, she was thrilled initially when chief stew Aesha Scott listened and assigned her to the late-night shift when she would be the sole person attending to the charter guests. A very hectic first day on the charter had the interior team scrambling to provide the best experience possible for the group with sparse provisions available. Unaware of the chaos, the charter guests—who all happen to be young influencers—are partying with no signs of slowing down when Scott is heading down to her cabin for the night. Concerned, Scott speaks to Dubaich.
“Are you gonna be okay?” asks Aesha with some trepidation in her voice. “I just need a nap,” replies Dubaich honestly. “Mentally and emotionally, I’m fine.” While clearly nervous for her second stew, Scott chooses to let her handle the late shift alone. “I want to trust Ellie,” says Scott to the camera in her confessional. “I have to be up early, watch out for [third stew] Bri [Mueller], and set up for breakfast.” As we see the charter guests continuing to drink and take photos and videos for social media, Scott leaves Dubaich upstairs to deal.” Ellie said she wanted more experience on service…so here you go,” says Scott with a laugh in her confessional. “Trial by fire!”
As Dubaich brings up a pitcher of margaritas to the partying guests at 12:20AM, one of them inquires: “Would it be possible to ask for late night munchies?” The group puts in their orders for grilled cheese, Mac n’ cheese, and a “big plate of nachos,” and Dubiach looks overwhelmed but determined. She heads down to Chef Johnathan “Jono” Shillingford’s cabin and knocks on the door. In her confessional, Ellie says to the camera: “On the boats I’ve worked on previously, I never really had to provide food for drunk people.” “I feel overwhelmed. I need help.”
Hearing no response, Dubaich opens the door and pokes her head in. “Cheffy, they”ve ordered food,” says Dubaich to the stirring Chef Jono. “It’s just too much food for me to make.” As Chef Jono shrugs, Dubiach says,”I’ll help you, we’ll do it together.” “Mm-mmm, I don’t think so,” replies Chef Jono. Realizing she’s on her own, Dubaich tells him: “I’ll just make them grilled cheese and tell them this is what we have.” Frustrated, Dubiach walks into the galley as deckhand Gael Cameron readies the hot tub for the guests on deck. The group immediately starts asking Cameron for vodka shots, mojitos and Moscow mules. Cameron radios their requests to Dubiach as she frantically searches for salsa in the refrigerator.
Overwhelmed, Dubiach heads back upstairs at 1:03AM to tell the charter guests the deal. “Okay, what I’ve got on the menu is only grilled cheese.” Disappointed, one of the guests asks for an update on the mojitos. “I’m the only person working on food and drinks so I’m doing my best,” replies Dubiach and heads back inside. Seeing her fellow yachtie stressed, Cameron follows her and offers to help make the food. “One grilled cheese?” asks Cameron. “No, they all want grilled cheeses so 7 grilled cheeses,” says Dubiach incredulously. As Cameron goes downstairs to the gallery at 1:27AM, Dubaich googles how to make a mojito. “I don’t think I should take the responsibility for making food,” says Dubiach to herself.
As Cameron hopelessly searches for butter, Dubiach bounds down the stairs to try one more time to wake up Chef Jono. In her confessional, Dubiach vents: “It’s not my responsibility to make meals for the guests. Not only am I not able to provide cocktails for the guests, but I’m also looking like I’m not able to manage guests.” “Chef Jono’s selfish behavior is making me look bad,” continues Dubiach. Back at Chef Jono’s cabin, Dubiach collects herself and heads inside. “Look, the only reason I came back is because this is going to be a problem,” says Dubiach. “I don’t want you to do this to yourself.” As Chef Jono turns over, the episode ends. So, viewers are left with this question: did Dubiach do the right thing by trying to wake Chef Jono up or should she have just let him sleep and dealt with the guests as best she could?
It’s a “tricky” question, according to Scott. “For me with my experience, you do wake up the chef,” says Scott. “It’s not the stew’s responsibility to be making food.” Scott sagely points out: “If Ellie wasn’t running around having to make food, then she would’ve been able to keep on top of the drink orders and not been so stressed and so behind.” After screening the episode herself, Scott admits it was “frustrating to watch.” “A galley is so different from a kitchen at home,” notes Scott. “I wouldn’t know how to go into the galley and make up some nachos.” While Scott does acknowledge that “every boat is different,” she herself has “always woken the chef up.”
While Scott believes it’s a boat-to-boat policy, Captain Sandy Yawn thinks otherwise. “No,” says Captain Sandy. “You never wake up the chef.” Wisely, Captain Yawn observes when it’s after midnight, guests are usually “just intoxicated and want to eat.” “The right move is just pull out the panini maker.” Though, she chooses to look at the incident as a learning experience for both Dubiach and Chef Jono instead of something that needs any disciplinary action. “The chef usually prepares something for the stews to put in the oven and warm up,” explains Captain Sandy. “He just didn’t have the experience at that point [to know that].” Captain Sandy also knows that “Elena did what she thought was right.” “Elena will know not to wake him up again,” says Captain Sandy firmly.
So, should you wake a sleeping chef? After listening to both Scott and Captain Sandy’s answers, we have to admit we are still torn. However, what the Captain says, usually goes.
