Below Deckseason 12 is on the horizon, and with Chief Stew Fraser Olender back aboard,he’s now making a run to compete with originalBelow DeckChief Stew Kate Chastain in his longevity with the show. While Fraser has long been one of the most enjoyable Chief Stews to watch, his behavior is often compared to Kate’s because they’re the two longest-running Chief Stews. Kate, who spent sixBelow Deckseasons as Chief Stew, has long been aBelow Deckfan favorite, while Fraser’s spent years making a name for himself, and will return forBelow Deckseason 12.
While Fraser only began working aboardBelow Decksuperyachts onBelow Deckseason 9, when he joined the crew of My Seanna as the Second Stew, he’s made an impression on viewers from the beginning. Though it’s clear he’s good at his job and knows his way around a superyacht, especially after being bumped up to Chief Stew duringBelow Deckseason 10, Fraser has a very different personality than long-time Chief Stew Kate. With Kate being a more no-nonsense, dry member of the crew,Fraser can find himself in a bit more dramathan his long-timer predecessor got into.
Though Kate was someone who could hold her own when drama came to her doorstep, she often wanted to focus on the work and make sure that things were running smoothly before she divulged in crew issues. WhileFraser has a phenomenal work ethic, he’s found himself in hot water over the past few seasons ofBelow Deck. Throughout his run on the show,Fraser’s proven that his attitude sometimes gets him in trouble, and his ability to own up to his behavior keeps him in the good graces of the rest of the cast, as well as the viewers.
6Fraser Hooked Up With A Guest
He Got Things Approved First
Although Fraser has only been part ofBelow Deckfor the last four seasons, he’s already broken the mold when it comes to what viewers can expect from a Chief Stew. Throughout the history ofBelow Deck,it’s been widely explained that romantic interactions between the crew and the charter guests are off limits, even if the guests are pursuing the crew. In a professional setting, the crew is expected to maintain their sense of dedication to their jobs rather than looking to make more personal connections with the guests. DuringBelow Deckseason 11, Fraser stepped past that boundary.
While Fraser and one of the guests throughout aBelow Deckseason 11 charter were hitting it off, it was clear thatFraser was trying to maintain his professional boundariesas he continued to work. Despite knowing that he was attracted to the guest and things were getting flirty throughout their time together on St. David, Fraser pushed back against others who were mentioning it until the end of the charter. After clearing having a romantic moment with the guestafter the charter ended with Captain Kerry Titheradge, Fraser went for it and somewhat controversially hooked up with the guest.
5Fraser’s Boatmances Are Messier Than Kate’s
He’s Less Prone To Privacy
As aBravoveteran, Fraser seems to know how important it is for a boatmance to trickle through the season in order to keep the show interesting. Fraser has been a part of the Below Deck universe long enough to know there are things that will be interesting for viewers, and he does his best to ensure he’s making great TV while maintaining his professional boundaries. That being said,Fraser’s boatmances haven’t been frequent, but they’ve been intensewhen they do come about on a season ofBelow Deck.
DuringBelow Deckseason 9, when Fraser was working as a Second Stew and still had a lot to prove, he shared a steamy kiss one of his colleagues aboard My Seanna in a momentbetween himself and Deckhand Jake Foulger. While it was clear that the pair were drunkenly acting on a dare, things got steamy as they made out in the back of the crew van on their way home from a night out. While things didn’t escalate, Fraser opened up about being close to Jake after the season. After his kiss with Jake and his fling with a guest,Fraser’s boatmances are notably more scandalous than Kate’swere.
4Fraser Has Gotten Scolded Worse Than Kate
While Kate faced her own issues throughout her time onBelow Deck, where she clashed with other crew members from time to time and even faced problems with Captain Lee Rosbach about her performance, Fraser’s been scolded byBelow DeckCaptains more frequently. When Captain Sandy Yawn was working aboard St DavidduringBelow Deckseason 10,she took issue with Fraser’s leadership, which she felt led to more insubordination for the crewas things changed throughout the season. Although Fraser was dealing with issues between his Stews that was causing a lot of stress, Captain Sandy didn’t hold back.
Captain Sandy shared that she felt Fraser’s leadership had created some of the worst experiences she’d ever had with a Chief Stew, which was fairly harsh considering the problems Fraser was dealing with within the crew. Comparing Fraser’s influence within the crew to a cancer,Captain Sandy faced some incredible backlashfrom viewers for the way she treated Fraser generally. Fraser’s reaction to the criticism, which hit hard because of Captain Sandy’s word choice after losing his father to cancer, wasn’t pleasant. While he acknowledged his faults after the season,Fraser being scolded so harshly still felt out of place.
3Fraser Feeds Into Crew Drama
He Doesn’t Shy Away From Controversy
AlthoughFraser knows his place in the crewand tries to maintain a sense of professionalism during charters, he also often acknowledges how close the crew becomes during charter seasons and doesn’t feel the need to pull back from that. Though Fraser has often found himself on the wrong side of drama onBelow Deck, he’s quick to take accountability when he does something that seems off or wrong. Even so,Fraser’s found himself enmeshed in the crew drama more often than not, and sometimes he stirs the pot more than he should as a Chief Stew, making a mess.
Fraser’s penchant for drama, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing considering he’s on a reality TV show, has gotten him into trouble with his crew mates frequently on Below Deck. While he doesn’t typically start drama,Fraser’s quick to stir the pot or join in on the drama, at times forsaking his status as the leader of a departmentin order to show preference or bias toward some of his fellow crew members. For example, Fraserconsistently siding with Xandi OlivierthroughoutBelow Deckseason 11 during his feud with Barbie Pascual was tough on her professionally, though understood personally.
2Fraser Needs More Departmental Support Than Kate
He Relies On His Crew Consistently
AlthoughFraseris capable in his role onBelow Deck,the Chief Stew sometimes needs more help from the rest of his department than Kate did when she was working as a Chief Stew. While Kate often had things handled quickly and efficiently,Fraser works differently than the long-time Chief Stew, which can lead to him needing more help form his crew as a result. Sometimes working across departmental lines, Fraser’s also someone who makes it clear in his time aboard the superyacht that other departments can look to him for help, too. While he requires more, Fraser’s highly skilled.
Working well with others is a great part ofFraser’s ability as a Chief Stew,as he’s able to compartmentalize well on the job, making it clear that he doesn’t necessarily bring his personal issues into the job as a whole. Despite knowing that he needs to reach out when he needs help, Fraser can be independent in his role as a Chief Stew, as well. ThroughoutBelow Deckseason 11,Fraser juggled his own duties as a Chief Stew while also mitigating conflictbetween his staff and helping Chef Anthony Iracane work through his issues in the galley, too.
1Fraser Handles Insubordination The Wrong Way
His Personal Biases Color His Judgment
Although Fraser came out ofBelow Deckseason 11 with a lot of experience under his belt and figured out a slightly better way to handle his crew after his first season as a Chief Stew, he still has a lot to learn. While Kate seemed like a seasoned veteran coming intoBelow Deckin the beginning of the show’s run,Fraser was shown jumping from a Second Stew to a Chief Stew in real time, which means viewers have had the chance to see his leadership style develop. ThroughoutBelow Deckseason 10,Fraser’s ability to handle conflict crumbled.
Fraser had a hard time during his first season as Chief Stew, which saw his Captain leave for a medical emergency and his staff become embroiled in personal conflict. Althoughhe handled the insubordination from his crew poorly during his first season as a Chief Stew, he learned fromhis mistakes forBelow Deckseason 11. Employing clear communication early in his second season, Fraser still struggled with conflict between his crew and from himself, but he learned how to handle things with a firmer touch. Fraser’s third season as Chief Stew onBelow Deckwill be his best yet.
Below Deckseason 12 premieres Monday, June 2 at 8 p.m. EDT on Bravo.
