Kate Chastain – Below Deck

By starrymag | November 15, 2016

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

Q) What made you want to return to “Below Deck” this season?

A) Captain Lee and I have a great working relationship so I’m always happy to take a job where he will be my superior.

 

Q) Last time you were on there was some sexual tension between you and Ben. How were dynamics different for you this time filming with him?

A) There was definitely still tension between Ben and I this season, but it definitely wasn’t sexual.  I think the fact that we’re so comfortable with each other can be both a good and a bad thing when working on a boat together.  Sometimes minor disagreements escalate into heated arguments quicker than they should because Ben and I don’t feel the need to politely hold back like we might with other crewmembers.

 

Q) Romance was in the air this season of “Below Deck” and we saw you playing cupid with Ben & Emily. What made you want to match these two?

A) I know Ben pretty well and I really did think that Emily was exactly his type.  Also, Ben seemed to be getting annoyed with the lack of personal attention I was giving him so I thought maybe Emily would be able to fill that void.

 

Q) You have worked with Captain Lee for a while now. How has your relationship with him changed throughout the years?

A) Looking back, it’s surprising to me that Captain Lee and I didn’t get along as well as we do now, right from the start.  I think it just took a bit of time for me to earn his trust and that is certainly something I can respect.

 

Q) You seemed to get quite close with your stews this season. What sets Sierra and Emily a part from others you have worked with on the show?

A) Actually, I think the opposite is true.  Kat and Amy were both around the same age as me and both had considerable amount of yachting experience when we worked together. I consider both of those girls close friends to this day and would love to work with either of them again.  Sierra and Emily on the other hand were a bit more green in their stewardess careers and remarkably younger than myself.  It was nice to have two stewardesses who were eager to learn and follow instructions, but I wouldn’t say that a strong friendship was formed in either case and that’s fine, too. I enjoyed working with both of them on Valor and hoped they enjoyed their time onboard.

 

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming this season?

A) Seeing Ben show a softer side with Emily was surprising and lovely to watch. This charter season on Valor was definitely one of my favorites.

 

Q) Do you have any regrets from your time on the Valor?

A) While I didn’t let my personal life get in the way of my job as Chief Stew, I do wish that I had not given in so much to the demands of my significant other at the time to stay in such constant contact.  It really added unnecessary stress to my already stressful life onboard and I think it kept me from bonding with my fellow crewmembers in our downtime.  At the time I was just trying to keep the peace so I didn’t return home to anger, but I’ve since learned that significant others should only be supportive rather than temperamental and that sometimes “keeping the peace” is an unhealthy sacrifice.

 

Q) Are you getting recognized from “Below Deck” more when you go out?

A) I do get recognized quite a bit when I go out and it is always so flattering.  We work hard during the charter season so it’s great to hear that people enjoy watching what we do.

 

Q) Is there anything you want to be sure fans know about you and this season of Below Deck?

A) A lot of people ask if the show is scripted and I guarantee that is 100% real. The great thing about “Below Deck” is that the working conditions naturally result in drama and there is no need for any outside source to create it.

 

 

Below Deck airs Tuesday’s at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo