Christine Bugsy Drake is opening up about the pressure she felt to get along with Tom Checketts while working together on Below Deck Mediterranean.
Viewers watched as Bugsy comforted Aesha Scott after Tom had his cucumber tantrum, leaving the second stew in tears. There is no question Tom was in the wrong.
He didn’t have to speak to Aesha that way or take his frustration out on her.
Bugsy didn’t see the interaction but saw the effect it had on Aesha. The moment was tricky for Bugsy, who wanted to defend Aesha. However, Bugsy had to be careful because of the personal pressure she felt to get along with Tom.
The chief stew spoke out about maintaining a level of professionalism with Tom during the Below Deck Med After Show. She also talked about the personal stakes that added more pressure for her to get along with the chef.
The Malia and Stephanie factor
As fans know, Malia White met her now ex-boyfriend Tom, while working on a yacht with Bugsy’s sister Stephanie. Malia shared it was Stephanie who got Tom and Malia together.
There is a personal connection between the group outside of work, which made things a little more complicated.
“To be honest, I felt like there was a lot of pressure for Tom and I to get along because of the fact my sister is friends with him. Malia is my friend, and she is dating him,” Bugsy shared.
“So I think there was an added pressure for him and I in the work sense of chief stew and chef to be very civil towards one another. There is a lot at stake if were are not.
Bugsy did admit that she and Tom got along very well during their time on The Wellington.
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Protective of her stews
There is one thing Bugsy will not tolerate, and that is someone being a jerk to her stews. Bugsy spilled she is very protective of her stews. It doesn’t sit well with Bugsy for her team to be mistreated in any way.
The fact she is protective of her stews made it challenging for her to balance the work and personal relationship with Tom. If the emotional pressure were not there, Bugsy would have had a much different working relationship with the chef.
All in all, Bugsy did her best to have her stews back while keeping all previous personal friendships intact. Perhaps she will elaborate on the pressure she felt during the Below Deck Mediterranean Season 5 reunion show.
Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo.