Warning: This article contains spoilers from Below Deck season 12!After only one episode of Bravo’s Below Deck season 12, Chef Lawrence Snowden is struggling so much I don’t think he’ll make it through the season. Chef Lawrence is one of the Below Deck season 12 cast members who is new to reality TV and the St. David yacht. He doesn’t have big shoes to fill, but he’s already having such a hard time.

On Below Deck season 11, Chef Anthony Iracane had a hard time remembering the guest’s dietary preferences, sometimes finding himself without anything to serve a guest. He also took too long to cook the meals, making the guests irritated and hungry and causing the interior crew a lot of stress. Based on Chef Anthony’s performance last season, I would have thought any chef on Below Deck season 12 would have an easier time, but I now think I was wrong.

Below Deck Has A History Of Quitters

This Wouldn’t Be The First Time Someone Leaves Early

If Chef Lawrence quits Below Deck season 12, it won’t be the first time the franchise has lost a crew member. In fact, someone has gotten fired or quit on every season of the flagship Below Deck. On Below Deck season 11, multiple crew members left the season early. Bosun Jared Woodin was fired early on in the season due to his avoidable mistakes and drunken antics. Ben Willoughby took over as bosun, and while the rest of the season wasn’t always smooth sailing, Ben was far more equipped for the job than Jared had been.

While Captain Kerry Titheradge supported Cat’s decision to leave, her actions left the rest of the interior team in a lurch. As the show films during the yachting busy season, it was very difficult to find an available stew to join the boat. However, because Cat clearly couldn’t handle the stress of such a large yacht, and because she clashed with the other stews, I think her departure was for the best.

Chef Lawrence’s possible departure isn’t even the first time a chef has left the boat early. Just last season, Chef Anthony was fired. I’m sure it’s very difficult to be a chef on a superyacht. However, I wish Below Deck would cast people who were truly up for the challenge.

Chef Lawrence Isn’t Ready For Reality TV

He’s Not Right For The Show

Below Deck faces unique casting challenges. Not only do cast members need to be good at their jobs, they also have to be interesting people who want to share their lives on national television. Chef Lawrence may be amazing at his job, but he’s clearly not cut out for reality TV. While he’s definitely an interesting person who brings a distinctive point of view to the ship, he’s far too uncomfortable in front of the camera to do well on this show.

In Below Deck season 12, episode 1, Chef Lawrence found himself immediately overwhelmed by his new workspace. He wanted to set up in peace, but the cameras wanted to capture the moment. Instead of ignoring the cameras and going about his business, Chef Lawrence broke the fourth wall and talked directly to the camera operators, asking them to leave. The cameras made the chef more stressed, which doesn’t bode well for a season of reality TV.

Will Chef Lawrence Make It Through The Season?

Bravo Released A Sneak Peek

Bravo released a portion of Below Deck season 12, episode 2 early, and the video shows Chef Lawrence asking Captain Kerry to replace him. It seems that Chef Lawrence quits early on in the season, but the spoiler doesn’t say everything. For starters, the video only shows Chef Lawrence telling people he’s quitting; we never see him leave the yacht. Things turn on a dime on Below Deck, so it’s very possible that Chef Lawrence will change his mind and decide to remain on the St. David. Viewers will have to watch the show to see Chef Lawrence’s fate.

Source: Below Deck/Instagram

Below Deck

Release Date

July 1, 2013

Writers

Mark Cronin