Captain Lee Rosbach was caught off guard when his long-time chief stew Kate Chastain decided not to return to Below Deck after season 7. Kate had worked for Captain Lee since season 2 and excelled at her job. She helped to make her six seasons of charters very successful. However, she wasn’t happy with her career as chief stew and had other endeavors she wanted to pursue. She then exited from the series and started a new job on land.
Below Deck alum Kate started working on yachts long before Bravo launched the series, showcasing charter yacht crews' behind-the-scenes lives. She had even started writing a book about her experiences, titled Lucky Charming, which she eventually finished; it was published in 2016. However, Kate enjoyed at least some of her Below Deck stint and had her favorite people to work with. Ultimately, she had other things that she wanted to do, leading to her retirement from life on the seas. She's had some significant life changes since Below Deck.
What Has Kate Chastain Been Up To After Below Deck?
After filming for Below Deck season 7 ended, Kate moved from Florida to New York and started a radio series on SiriusXM titled Unapologetically Kate Chastain. On top of her radio show, in March 2021, TV Shows Ace noted that Kate started her own production company, Remotely Possible Productions. She also runs the Genesis Boutique, a non-profit resale store in Florida, which raises money for Genesis House, a charity for homeless women and children. She also competed in The Traitors, which is now streaming on Peacock.
Kate Likely Won't Return To Below Deck
Kate has not entirely escaped from the Below Deck franchise, as she was involved in the spin-off series, Galley Talk, where crew members watch new episodes and film their reactions and opinions. She also suggested in an interview with ET that if she ever returned to the Below Deck crew, she would need to be sold on the idea. Kate would want a significant demotion to third stew or more money. "I’d just be down there with my music saying, ‘Hey, guys…’ You get to be part of it with zero responsibility. When you’re third stew, you don’t realize how wonderful life is," she said.
Kate gave birth to a son, Sullivan Cay, in May 2023. She announced the pregnancy in December 2022, which prompted speculation regarding the baby's father. However, despite rumors of Chef Ben Robinson being the father, both Kate and Ben denied these claims, and Kate expressed she planned on raising Sullivan by herself. She has yet to reveal the father's identity.
From the sounds of it, it doesn’t seem like Kate will be returning to Below Deck for future seasons. While Captain Lee appreciated her hard work and felt anxious when she left, Kate didn't enjoy all of her chief stew duties and is ready for a new chapter. Although she is not interested in returning to the crew, the fact that Kate still has ties to Below Deck, and continues to do interviews about the show, seems to indicate that there’s always a chance.
Sources: SiriusXM, TV Shows Ace, ET