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Chef Johnathan Sounds Off on Captain Sandy Possibly Replacing Him with a Backup Chef
The Below Deck Mediterranean chef admitted that he "had no idea" that Captain Sandy had a backup chef waiting.
Since joining the Mustique crew on Below Deck Mediterranean Season 9, Chef Johnathan Shillingford has encountered his fair share of struggles in the galley, from cooking eggs an hour early to serving the guests sponge cake (which Aesha Scott pointed out is the "most boring" of all the cakes).
As a result, Jono had a sit-down with Captain Sandy Yawn about his performance. Sandy ultimately decided to give Jono another shot to prove himself, but she texted about getting a backup chef just in case things didn't work out. "In the past, I've given second chances," she shared in an interview on Season 9, Episode 3. "The one thing I'm not going to wait on is finding another chef, just in case he doesn't come through."
Jono, however, didn't realize that Sandy had someone on standby until he watched the show back.
On the July 15 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Jono shared his candid reaction to learning that his boss was getting ready to replace him. "Honestly, [it was] a little shocking [be]cause I had no idea that that was happening," he explained.
However, Jono doesn't fault the Florida resident for keeping her options open.
"But, to be fair, she is a yacht captain, and she has to look after the boat," he continued on WWHL. "And if that's what she had to do, then I respect her decision."
Here's What You May Have Missed on Bravo:
Captain Sandy Reveals a "Huge Red Flag" About Chef Jono as He Worries His “Job Is at Risk”
A High-Profile Guest Has Major Complaints for Captain Sandy: "This Is What You Give Us?"
Below Deck Med Season 9’s Chef Is... an Architect? “Fake It ‘Til You Make It”
Chef Johnathan thought he was going to be fired on Below Deck Med Season 9
After struggling to please the guests and Captain Sandy, Jono wasn't sure if he would get to stay on board Mustique for long. But on Season 9, Episode 7, which aired on July 15, Jono felt, for the first time, like he was going to keep his job on the boat.
"I almost packed my suitcase after the sh-tty second charter," Jono said in an interview on the episode. "I think now I can put all the Givenchy back in my closet, honey."
As he explained, his background in architecture has helped him to take in negative feedback.
"I'm no stranger to resilience..." he said in an interview. "I think my training has definitely conditioned me to improve with criticism. It's definitely made me stronger."
Watch new episodes of Below Deck Mediterranean on Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo. Stream the next day on Peacock.
