Kate Chastain reveals why she didn’t return to yachting after Below Deck

Kate Chastain has revealed why she didn’t return to yachting after her Below Deck stint.

The former chief stew became a household name thanks to her six seasons on Below Deck. In 2020, Kate announced she was exiting the hit Bravo show, leaving Below Deck fans to wonder what was next for her.

Although she left the OG show, Kate has stayed part of the Below Deck family. Kate appears on the Below Deck spin-off Galley Talk, alongside her good friend chef Ben Robinson.

Instead of continuing with her yachting career after Below Deck, Kate made a change and became an event planner. It turns out Kate had a very good reason for leaving the yachting world behind that has everything to do with the Bravo show.

Kate Chastain reveals why she didn’t return to yachting after Below Deck

When Kate stopped by the Yung Flamingo Club podcast to chat with hosts Montana Mendy and Justin Purser, she dropped a bombshell. The chief stew was ready to leave yachting before she even joined Below Deck.

“You know, I had been working on yachts long enough where I was just over it,” Kate expressed.

The Bravo personality dished she worked in yachting since she graduated from college. Although Kate loves the industry, she was ready for something new when Below Deck came calling.

“So, it was a really cool way doing the show. I could still do what I had been doing but in a new, exciting way,” she shared.

However, working on Below Deck made yachting without a camera crew following her less appealing to Kate.

“Before the first season aired, I did try to work on a yacht. And you know, once you’ve filmed a reality show of your job to then go and try and do the same job without a production team of 70 following you around, it’s just less exciting. No one cared when I was brushing my teeth, which was annoying,” Kate said.

Kate calls returning to yachting after Below Deck Season 2 ‘awkward’

The former chief stew recalled the one time she did return to yachting following Below Deck Season 2. Kate shared the guests wanted to take selfies, making the entire dynamic way too much for her.

“When the first season aired, I think I did take one freelance job as a favor to a friend. And the yacht owners were like, ‘Can we get a selfie with you?’ And I was like, ‘Sure, but I gotta go make your Bloody Mary first.’ It was just too awkward. It was just too much,” she spilled.

Although Kate Chastain has fond memories of her career in yachting and her time on Below Deck, she’s loving her life right now. Kate has no plans to return to the hit-yachting franchise, well, at least not as a crew member. She might consider coming back as a charter guest.

Below Deck airs Mondays at 8/7c on Bravo.