Captain threatens to replace Below Deck Down Under Chef Ryan McKeown

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Below Deck Down Under Chef Ryan McKeown has been far from a fan favorite — and it looks like Captain Jason agrees

Below Deck Down Under chef Ryan McKeown
(Image credit: Peacock)

Are Below Deck Down Under Chef Ryan McKeown's days aboard the M/Y Thalassa numbered? It sure looks so based on the latest episode of the Peacock series, which aired Friday, April 15.

Ryan McKeown hasn't garnered many fans during Below Deck Down Under season 1 so far, thanks to an arrogant attitude, seeming lack of culinary creativity and overall drive and frequent arguments with beloved chief stew Aesha Scott. But all that has heretofore passed unnoticed by the boat's captain, Jason Chambers. Until now, that is. 

On this week's episode, McKeown welcomes a new batch of charter guests with a seafood lunch that includes fresh lobster, crab claws and... not a whole lot else, leaving the vacationers confused over whether they would be receiving more courses or not. 

"There's this whole table of protein and there's nothing to go with it. It's just embarrassing," Aesha says in a confessional. 

"I need some carbs attached to this," one guest said of the meal. "Is this the only piece that we're having to eat right now?" he asks McKeown when the chef comes out to see how everything is going. The guests ask for salad and some bread to be served to pad out the fish-focused meal. 

"When you have a massive f***ing shellfish feast in front of you, who the f**k thinks, 'Hey, I want to eat a salad'?" McKeown complains during a confessional. 

Captain Jason is in the galley at the time and overhears the issue and admonishes the chef: "Ryan, let's get some sides out, rather than them asking for stuff." 

When a guest questions if there's more lobster tail available, McKeown tells Aesha, "No, this isn't a f***ing Red Lobster," a response that doesn't sit well with the captain. 

"There's none of that vibrance of 'how can we blow these people away?'" Captain Jason says of McKeown's cooking. 

Later, the captain can be seen texting a potential replacement chef. "I've had problems with chefs before," Captain Jason says in a talking head. "Chefs are renowned from being a little difficult here and there, and having a back-up chef is probably a good idea."

So how much longer will Ryan McKeown be the chef of the M/Y Thalassa yacht? We'll have to watch to find out!

Fans want Captain Jason to fire Below Deck Down Under Chef Ryan McKeown

Below Deck Down Under viewers are relieved that Captain Jason Chambers is finally catching on to all of the drama chef Ryan McKeown has been causing. 

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Christina Izzo
Christina Izzo

Christina Izzo is the Deputy Editor of My Imperfect Life. More generally, she is a writer-editor covering food and drink, travel, lifestyle and culture in New York City. She was previously the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York. 

When she’s not doing all that, she can probably be found eating cheese somewhere.