Summary
- Below Deck season 7 was the worst in franchise history, filled with problematic behavior and a hostile work environment.
- Chef Kevin Dobson was difficult to work with and displayed misogynistic behavior towards the female crew .
- Kate Chastain quit after dealing with the mistreatment from the men and the toxic masculinity displayed by the deck crew.
Below Deck season 11 will air soon.
Kate hoped he'd be a chef she could finally get along with, but Chef Kevin Dobson proved difficult in and out of the galley. Kate was less than thrilled with his culinary skills, and a lackluster seafood tower failed to impress charter guests. Captain Lee also thought that Chef Kevin needed to step up, which put more pressure on the chef. As well, Kevin had issues with Kate’s service, and the two continued to butt heads throughout Below Deck season 7. While Below Deck season 8 was the worst, season 7 wasn't much better.
Why Was Below Deck Season 7 So Bad?
Kevin appeared to be quite misogynistic due to the way that he treated women. He regularly spoke to the interior crew and expressed frustration when services didn’t go his way. He and Kate’s frustrations with each other continued to build throughout the season. Then, in one jaw-dropping moment, he kicked sand into her face during a crew night out. Throughout the season, Kate also had to deal with Ashton’s drunken advances, as he kissed her without asking for her consent. In a later Below Deck season 7 episode, Kate and Ashton got into an argument in a van after a night out, and the bosun punched the window in a fit of rage.
Did Below Deck Season 7 Cause Kate Chastain To Quit?
The deck crew’s treatment of Rhylee seemed to be a textbook display of toxic masculinity. Although she was a competent deckhand with experience running her fishing boat, Ashton continually assigned her menial tasks while favoring the male deck crew. It's true that Rhylee was hot-headed and mouthed off to Ashton. However, the fact that the “Brü Crew” undermined her was undeniable. During a night out at a Thai marketplace, she and Kevin got into a heated argument over buying scorpions, which snowballed into a fight that pitted the guy against the girls.
Although drama was expected, Below Deck, season 7, had many internal fights. The crew ended up in a hostile work environment. After getting fed up with the men, Kate quit and stormed off the boat. She returned the next day, but following season 7, Kate announced she was done with the yachting world and Below Deck. Seeing an iconic chief stew quit was disappointing, and the men were blamed for making the workplace unbearable. During the reunion, Captain Lee expressed disappointment in his deck team and said he would not work with Ashton again. It was a relief to see the Below Deck Brü Crew disbanded.
Below Deck season 11 premieres on February 5, 2024, at 9 p.m. on Bravo
