An In-Depth Look at the Chief Stews in the 'Below Deck' Franchise: From Kate Chastain to Hannah Ferrier

Chief stews are an indispensable part of Below Deck, although their tenure on the show varies. Premiering in 2013, this popular Bravo series chronicles the experiences of crew members living and working on a luxurious superyacht throughout the charter season. Below Deck has evolved into a successful franchise, spawning spinoffs like Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Adventure.

New crew members are introduced to viewers every season, but the captain and chief stew mostly remain consistent. Below Deck gained a fan-favorite in Kate Chastain, who joined in the show's second season and enjoyed a strong rapport with Captain Lee until her surprising departure in 2020.

Similarly, Hannah Ferrier played a significant role in the success of Below Deck Med. She was part of the spinoff from its inaugural season, but a troubled working relationship with Captain Sandy resulted in her exit in season 5.

"When I watched the scene where I was fired for drugs with my husband Josh, he noticed that I yawned. I admitted to yawning and he pointed out that it was strange to yawn in the middle of being fired. This conversation took place in August 2020 during an interview with Decider. Despite the intense situation, I couldn't help but feel bored by the whole ordeal and suggested we leave."

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A Guide to Every Chief Stew in the 'Below Deck' Franchise: From Kate Chastain to Hannah Ferrier

There's no Below Deck without chief stews — but some have lasted longer on the show than others.

The popular Bravo series, debuted in 2013, chronicles the daily lives of crew members living and working on a luxurious superyacht during the charter season. Below Deck has proven to be a highly successful franchise for the network, spawning spinoffs such as Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Adventure.

While every season introduces new crew members, the roles of the captain and chief steward/ess typically remain consistent. Kate Chastain, who joined Below Deck in its second season, rapidly gained a devoted fan base and formed a memorable duo with Captain Lee before her unexpected departure in 2020.

Meanwhile, Below Deck Med garnered immense popularity, largely attributed to the presence of Hannah Ferrier. Hannah had been a part of the spinoff since its inaugural season; however, her turbulent working relationship with Captain Sandy ultimately led to her departure in season 5.

"When I was watching the scene where I was being fired with my husband Josh, he asked, 'Did you just yawn?' I responded, 'I think I did.' He then remarked, 'You yawned in the midst of being fired for drugs, Hannah,'" revealed the former reality star in an interview with Decider in August 2020. "Yeah, I thought, 'You're not really keeping me engaged. Let's go.'"

Scroll down for a guide to every chief stew in Below Deck history:

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Adrienne Gang

Viewers were first introduced to Adrienne in the inaugural season of Below Deck. She faced difficulties in earning the respect of her interior team, which consisted of Kat Held and Samantha Orme. Ultimately, Adrienne did not come back as a chief stew for subsequent seasons. However, she did make a memorable yet brief appearance in season 2 as a friend of the charter guests. During this time, she managed to stir up drama between Kat and Amy Johnson.

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Kate Chastain

After Adrienne didn't return for season 2, Kate stepped in and quickly captivated Bravo fans with her witty remarks and creative "rocket ships" made from blankets. Her strong bond with Captain Lee was a consistent highlight of the show, but all good things must come to an end.

During the filming of season 7, also known as the infamous Brü Crew season, Kate began contemplating a change. However, things turned sour as she found herself at odds with chef Kevin Dobson and bosun Ashton Pienaar – the latter even infamously punching a wall in frustration towards her. The season, which aired in 2020, faced significant backlash, prompting Kate to make the announcement of her departure following its broadcast.

She has stayed with the network, despite appearing on several other shows such as Bravo's Chat Room, Traitors, Below Deck Galley Talk, and Couch Talk With Captain Lee and Kate. In 2023, Kate added to her family by joyfully welcoming her son Sullivan.

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Francesca Rubi

Francesca faced a challenging role as Chief Stew, stepping in for Kate on Below Deck. Initially, she established a strong rapport with Captain Lee upon joining the crew of My Seanna. However, she soon found herself overwhelmed by the stress of the charter season.

Another source of difficulty for Francesca was her stewardess, Elizabeth Frankini. Elizabeth's romantic feelings for deckhand James Hough affected her performance at work, further complicating matters. Despite eventually dismissing Elizabeth towards the end of season 8, this action proved insignificant due to the early termination of filming caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Heather Chase

Just like Francesca, Heather made a sincere effort, but initially, she was overshadowed by bosun Eddie Lucas, who came back to Below Deck after being on the original seasons. Heather left a negative impression when she used a racially offensive word while talking to deckhand Rayna Lindsey. Although she apologized, the harm had already been done, and as a result, Heather was not asked to return for another season.

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Fraser Olender

After serving as Heather's second stew, Fraser was promoted prior to season 10. He faced a challenging task of handling the messy feud between Alissa Humber and Camille Lamb, which became even more difficult when Captain Lee had to temporarily leave the boat due to health issues. Captain Sandy from Below Deck Med took over as the captain and quickly held Fraser responsible for any issues that arose aboard St. David.

Fraser was able to outlast Sandy and eventually found himself back with Lee before the season wrapped up. In the following season, Fraser made a comeback, but this time he had Captain Kerry from Below Deck Adventure as his superior.

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Hannah Ferrier

Hannah has been a part of the interior team on Below Deck Med since season 1. Throughout the show, she has experienced a secret relationship with a charter guest and faced conflicts with her colleagues. Hannah has always embraced the demands of reality TV. However, her time on the series came to an end when she was released due to the discovery of Valium and a CBD vape pen in her cabin.

Following her departure from the show, Hannah found happiness in her personal life. She got engaged and later married Josh Roberts. The couple recently celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter named Ava.

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Christine ‘Bugsy’ Drake

Following Hannah's departure, Bugsy was enlisted as a stewardess to assist Hannah during the fifth season of Below Deck Med. Recognizing her exceptional skills, Captain Sandy elevated Bugsy to the coveted position of chief stew, entrusting her with the responsibility of overseeing the interior team until the conclusion of the charter season.

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Katie Flood

Season 6 started with Katie stepping in for Hannah. Throughout her first season, Katie faced challenges in managing a difficult stewardess, Lexi Wilson, who constantly provoked conflicts with the crew. Additionally, she struggled to establish effective communication with Delaney Evans, who repeatedly resisted being dismissed from her position.

Although Katie did not make a comeback in Below Deck Med, she went on to participate in season 3 of Winter House alongside Malia.

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Natasha ‘Tasha’ Webb

Tasha's tenure on the Below Deck franchise was predominantly dominated by the intricacies of her involvement with David White. With their initial embarkation on the boat, they opted not to reveal their romantic connection, and matters took a turn for the worse when Tasha experienced a change of heart regarding her emotions towards David.

The chef expressed his anger by sending angry texts to Tasha multiple times while she tried to reconcile with her ex-boyfriend, whom she cheated on with David. Tasha did not attend the season 7 reunion and has not made a comeback on the show.

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Tumi Mhlongo

Tumi was offered the position of chief stew by Captain Sandy after her appearance on season 1 of Below Deck Down Under. However, her arrival was delayed due to immigration issues, leading Natalya "Nat" Scudder to temporarily assume the role of leading the interior. Though Nat eventually returned the role to Tumi, their disagreement resulted in a strained relationship between the two.

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Jenna MacGillivray

Following its debut in 2020, Below Deck Sailing Yacht achieved noteworthy success as a spinoff. However, Jenna's involvement did not persist for an extended period. Throughout the inaugural season, she became entangled in a complex romantic entanglement with Adam Glick. Additionally, she struggled to establish a sense of camaraderie with fellow stews Madison Stalker and Georgia Grobler.

Jenna apologized for her behavior toward her interior team at the reunion while still standing by the decision to date Adam while on charter. 

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Daisy Kelliher

Replacing Jenna, Daisy established herself as an ideal addition to Captain Glenn's team. She maintained positive relationships with the majority of her fellow stewards while introducing enough dramatic elements to captivate Below Deck Sailing Yacht viewers.

However, in season 4, Daisy became entangled in a love triangle involving Colin Macrae and Gary King. The trio's friendship unravelled, leading Colin and Gary to hold Daisy responsible during the reunion.

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Aesha Scott

After serving as a second stew under Hannah's leadership on Below Deck Med, Aesha stepped up as the chief stew alongside Captain Jason on the upcoming season of Below Deck Down Under. Aesha is a familiar face, having been a part of the show since its inception, and she received immense praise for her role in managing the season 2 consent issue involving Luke Jones, Margot Sisson, and Laura Bileskalne.

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Faye Clarke

Faye, alongside Captain Kerry, spearheaded the latest spinoff series, Below Deck Adventure. However, the key obstacle she encountered involved a quarrel with chef Jessica Condy. The future of Below Deck Adventure and its potential return for future seasons is yet to be determined.