Bravo announced in August 2022 that their hit show Below Deck will return for a tenth season even though the ninth season received backlash for the lack of screen time Captain Lee received and the cast not connecting with fans the way they had in previous seasons.
One cast member that fans liked was chief stew Francesca Rubi, but season nine viewers quickly noticed that Rubi was not included, which was her choice. Rubi has largely removed herself from the public eye creating an air of mystery around the reality star that has left viewers wanting to know more about the former yachtie and what she's doing now.
She Had Big Shoes To Fill
Francesca had high standards to meet as she was the replacement for long-time Below Deck chief stew Kate Chastain who viewers became attached to and had a hard time letting go of when she announced her departure from the show.
Rubi met Captain Lee's standard, but the harsh reception from fans pushed Rubi away from the show and being a yachtie despite the perks that come with the job. However, Rubi has found a new career path on land and is happy in her new role.
Her New Career
As her fans and followers know, Francesca Rubi loves being active and the outdoors, but now she has turned her passion into a career with her recent foray into the world of being a Pilates instructor.
Now that Francesca is done working on boats, she seems content to keep her feet on land when it comes to her work and has already started teaching classes to those who want to get fit with the former chief stew. With her new job, it's clear Rubi is done with reality tv for the time being.
Her Hometown
Francesca Rubi loves the beach and being in the water, whether on a yacht or not, which may have something to do with her upbringing in Sydney, Australia. Her adventurous spirit led her into the yachting industry and, according to her Below Deck bio, has inspired her to look for adventure in all facets of her life.
Her Instagram (@francescarubi) chronicles all her traveling after her time on the show but has slowed down recently, with her last trip being to Hawaii.
She's On Cameo
Cameo is bringing reality television fans closer to their favorite stars; contestants from Big Brother and RuPaul's Drag Race are on Cameo, giving messages to their fans, and now Below Deck fans can connect with Francesca.
Francesca is priced on the higher end of her cast mates' rates but has nearly all five-star reviews from those who have worked with her. As fans learned on the show, Rubi is warm and genuine, which has made her Cameos personal for the fans who want to feel closer to her.
She's Single
Even though she posts about her travels, Rubi keeps a lot of information about herself private and off social media. At a quick glance, it seems that Rubi isn't in a relationship and has no children, four-footed or otherwise.
Life on a superyacht is time-consuming and doesn't leave room for much of a personal life. With Rubi traveling more often than not, she seems happy to be single and traveling with her friends to tropical destinations or exploring her home country of Australia.
She Surfs
As a part of her love of the water and all things related to the ocean, Rubi has shared her love of surfing and how it connects her to the sea. Rubi noted in a post that the ocean stirs her soul and imagination.
While some people are afraid to be in the open water, Rubi seems more comfortable in the middle of the sea than on land. Even though she isn't working on the water anymore, it is evident that Francesca won't leave the water behind.
She Got A Lot of Hate
Like many other reality stars, Francesca Rubi has gotten a fair amount of hate on her social media pages, with some viewers attacking her role on the show or attitude.
Some of this dislike comes from Rubi replacing the much beloved chief stew Kate Chastain, even though the two former yachties have no hate toward each other and have interacted many times on Bravo's various after shows regarding Below Deck. Even though there have been nasty hashtags used against her, Rubi hasn't let public opinion break her spirit.
She's A Perfectionist
As viewers quickly learned from the first episode, Rubi is not someone who likes mistakes and expects the absolute best out of the people she works with, which is also what charter guests like Erica Rose want while on Below Deck yachts.
In the trailer for season eight, she said, "I do take my job a little bit too seriously sometimes," which led to Liz being fired from the ship and one of the most controversial moments of the season. In her daily life, Rubi gives the vibe of being carefree; however, that may be a facade.
She Founded A Film Festival
While many yachties have projects outside the show, none have created their own film festival until Francesca Rubi. As reported by Dockwalk, the successful festival was made for all the people who work on yachts but also have a passion for making their films and documenting their travels.
Even though the festival was a success, it seems that Rubi has left the project behind as there has been no news on when the next one will take place, but the pandemic likely affected the event due to its timing.
She's Worked in Several Positions
Like many yachties, Rubi started at the bottom of the food chain on the yachts she worked on before getting the coveted position of chief stew. As reported by Men's Health, she was once a purser, deckhand, and steward, which is part of the reason why she holds her crew to such a high standard because she was once held to the sea standards by her former chief stews.
Her high level of service received her backlash from fans but respect from those in the industry.