While Kate Chastain is no longer a cast member on Below Deck, she still plays a small role in season eight through her connection to new yacht chef Rachel Hargrove. While Rachel is wowing Captain Lee and charter guests with her food on-screen, she's also using her off-screen time to open up about the past experiences that led her to Below Deck, which just so happen to include Kate.
Kate Chastain manned the interior crew on the Below Deck superyachts since season two. A staple on the series, Kate was almost as important as Captain Lee. But season seven brought unexpected challenges for Kate. She failed to get along with most of the crew, which isn't exactly unheard of for the chief stew. But instead of the usual squabbles and arguments, Kate was, on more than one occasion, confronted with aggressive male cast members screaming about their grievances and getting a little too close for comfort. By the end of the season, Kate had enough. She announced her departure from the Below Deck franchise, devasting both fans and Captain Lee.
However, Kate isn't entirely absent from the series. It seems she has a connection with new season eight yacht chef Rachel Hargrove. In fact, Kate announced before the season began that the duo used to work together on a boat back in 2013. Now, Rachel is sharing her side of the story regarding their working relationship. "It was great," Rachel said of working with Kate (via Bravo). "She's got a very dry sense of humor, and I've got my saltiness, as you just put it [laughs]. So together, it was dynamic, it was fun, and we kept our boss entertained as well." Watch the full clip of Rachel's comments on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen below:
Rachel also confirmed that she and Kate are still in touch today, which aligns with Kate's previous comments about their friendly relationship. Before the new season of Below Deck began, Kate told fans that she and Rachel watched season one of Below Deck together, long before either of them ever appeared on the show. In addition, Kate tweeted a message of support for Rachel after learning about her casting and described the chef as "intelligent," "hilarious," and "extremely talented."
With a big personality like Kate's, it's no surprise she's still being talked about on the current season of Below Deck. While fans might not get to watch her on TV, there's a sense of comfort in knowing of Rachel's close relationship with the former chief stew. But no one should worry about Kate! She's doing just fine as one of the new hosts of Bravo's Chat Room, and she doesn't seem to miss her Below Deck crew at all.
Below Deck airs Mondays at 9 pm ET on Bravo.
Source: WWHL/Twitter