Summary
If Captain Sandy fires Chef Johnathan “Jono” Shillingford fromBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 9, he could be replaced by a previousBelow Deckfranchise chef.Below Deck Medseason 9 has a crewof new yachties, with only Captain Sandy, Aesha Scott, and Elena Dubaich being featured on the show previously.Below Deck Medseason 8 was a letdown, but thankfully for the franchise,season 9 is off to a better start. It’s been an entertaining season defined by the crew’s new energy, minimal feuds, and early boatmances.
As one of the newBelow Deck Medcrew members, Chef Jono started strong during the first charter of the season. He worked well under pressure when the Mustique received little provisions. In the second charter, Chef Jono made mistakes. He was condemned for serving the charter guests chicken and a subpar chocolate sponge cake. It’s unclear if he’ll be able to improve his performance, but if he doesn’t, he’ll have to leave the Mustique.Chef Jono shouldn’t be fired, but if he is,Captain Sandy could call in severalBelow Deckchefs from the pastto replace him.
20 Best Reality TV Shows Right Now
Reality TV is more popular than ever. With so many to choose from, here are some of the best reality TV shows to stream or watch right now.
8Adam Glick
Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 1 & Below Deck Mediterranean Seasons 2 & 3
ChefAdam Glick was unhingedat times during his multiple appearances in theBelow Deckfranchise. He became thesecond chef onBelow Deck Medand notoriously served a group of guests onions when they didn’t want them in their food. Despite his misstep, Chef Adam continued with the franchise and worked onBelow Deck Medseason 3 andBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 1. It’s been a few years since he’s been on the show, and it would be surprising if he replaced Chef Jono, but not completely out of the blue.
7Hindrigo “Kiko” Lorran
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 5
Chef Hindrigo “Kiko” Lorran served as the chef during part ofBelow Deck Medseason 5. As a franchise-first yachtie, he needed to prove his skills to the charter guests and Captain Sandy. Unfortunately, Chef Kiko was fired for his lack of performance, but he was still a fan favorite. He formed a close friendship with Hannah Ferrier, an incredibly beloved personality from the franchise. If Chef Jono’s fired, Captain Sandy couldcall Chef Kiko in for a second chanceto work for her.
6Tzarina Mace-Ralph
Below Deck Down Under Season 2
Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph is one of the best newBelow Deckchefs in the franchise. She made her debut duringBelow Deck Down Underseason 2, where she excelled at her craft and created compelling reality TV.Chef Tzarina was incredibly entertainingin her confessional interviews and became friends with most of the crew. She got involved in two boatmances, which created dramatic moments duringBelow Deck Down Underseason 2.Chef Tzarina deserves to become a recurringBelow Deckchef, and she could prove herself by replacing Chef Jono inBelow Deck Medseason 9.
Chef Tzarina has already worked with Aesha inBelow Deck Down Under. If she joined the crew ofBelow Deck Medseason 9, she’d have a pre-existing relationship within the cast. It would begreat television to watch Chef Tzarina and Aesha work togetheragain. They could become aBelow Deckduo if the chef continues to work on different series in the future, even if that doesn’t include her joiningBelow Deck Medseason 9 later in the charter season.
5Ben Robinson
Below Deck Seasons 1-3, Below Deck Mediterranean Seasons 1 & 4
Chef Ben Robinson is one of the best chefs to appear in theBelow Deckfranchise. He was the first chef to be featured on the show in 2013 withBelow Deckseason 1. After that, his career exploded, and he became one of the most reliable crew members across franchises. Chef Ben started on the mainstay series but switched over toBelow Deck Medfor its first season. He wascalled in on various occasions to replace unqualified chefs, so he’s a viable option to replace Chef Jono inBelow Deck Medseason 9.
4Jack Luby
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 8
If Chef Jono were to be fired,Chef Jack Luby fromBelow Deck Medseason 8 would be the natural option to ask back for season 9. He was the chef for the season prior and performed well during the season. Chef Jack ran across some problems, having minimal experience working on superyachts. Despite challenges, he persisted and finishedBelow Deck Medseason 8 on good terms with Captain Sandy.He wasn’t involved in much drama, which hints that he would naturally mesh with the cast ofBelow Deck Medseason 9 and not stir up conflict.
3Ileisha Dell
Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 4
Chef Ilesiha Dell joined the franchise in 2023 inBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 4. Instead of forcing herself to be the center of attention, the Aussie native steered clear of all drama.Chef Ileisha didn’t know about the love trianglebetween Daisy Kelliher, Colin MacRae, and Gary King, proving how far removed she was from conflict.She was a levelheaded chefand performed well on the Parsifal III. If Chef Jono is fired, it could be an opportunity for Chef Ilesiha to step up and prove herself to a longtime franchise captain.
2Marcos Spaziani
Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3
Chef Marcos Spaziani impressed everyone duringBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 3. The chef mostly worked in restaurants before his stint on the franchise, though he still excelled in the superyacht environment. The crew ofBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 3 got along exceptionally well, including Chef Marcos, who became close friends with Colin. Since his appearance on the show, he’s returned to the restaurant business, but thatdoesn’t mean he couldn’t make a surprise return forBelow Deck Medseason 9.
1David White
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 7
David “Dave” White was involved in a messy boatmance duringBelow Deck Medseason 7, but he’s still regarded as one of the series’ best chefs. Before his hiring on the superyacht, he hooked up with Chief Stew Natasha Webb while she had a boyfriend. They attempted to conceal their relationship duringBelow Deck Medseason 7, but he admitted they’d been intimate in a confessional interview. Chef Dave didn’t treat Natasha the best during their time working together on the show, butCaptain Sandy still thinks he’s the bestBelow Deck Medchef.
In an interview withShowbiz Cheat Sheet, the captain said, putting “personal [issues] aside,” Chef Dave was the “best chef” she’d worked with on the show. She also acknowledged Chef Ben’s work on the series but commended the creative presentation of Chef Dave’s dishes. If Captain Sandy had to choose who to replace Chef Jono with, it would likely be theBelow Deck Medseason 7 chef. It would beinteresting to see how he would be received by the fans,given his tumultuous history on the show.
TheBelow Deck Mediterraneanteam has options for Chef Jono’s potential replacement. It’s unclear if the newBelow Deckyachtie will be fired before the charter season is over. Chef Jono will be missed if he departs from the Mustique, and another former chef from the franchise should be added in his place.
Below Deck Mediterraneanairs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo, then streams the following day on Peacock.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Cast
Below Deck Mediterranean is a Bravo reality television series that follows a crew that works aboard a gigantic superyacht during the busy season. The show highlights the challenges of the crew as they serve their high-end clientele. Each season tackles new locations, such as Greece, Croatia, Italy, and France, with some repeating.
