Kate Chastain – Below Deck

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) It was touched on a bit during the show, but what got you into yachting?

A) After college I went through what I think a lot of people at that age experience: the quarter life crisis. Unsure of what to do next, I decided that one year working on yachts was the perfect way to travel, make some money and have a few adventures.  One month after graduation, I was working on a 190’ motoryacht where I fell in love with the industry and never looked back.

Q) How did you become involved with “Below Deck” originally?

A) I was the Chief Stewardess on a 150’ yacht when Season One aired.  Every week, my crew and I would literally sit and watch the new episode of “Below Deck” while our guests were having dinner upstairs. Then, a casting agent contacted me on social media about applying for Season 2 and I just knew it was my chance to show the world how the aspects of yachting that I felt were not portrayed on Season Once.

Q) What parts of your life did you deem off-limits to the cameras?

A) At first I didn’t want to talk about anything non-work related (family, friends, boyfriends and personal problems) on camera.  I just didn’t think it would interest anyone; however, it was after seeing Season Two that I realized that in order for people to understand my point of view I can’t be selective with the things I share.  As a result, I was much less guarded on Season Three.

Q) This is your second season working with Captain Lee [Rosbach] and you had your ups and downs with him last season. What is it about him though that makes him a good leader?

A) Captain Lee is one of the best captains I’ve ever worked for. Being in a leadership position isn’t easy and I really respect and appreciate his management style.  He’s friendly, but firm. I’ve worked with captains that micromanage, which is a nightmare, and I’ve worked with captains that don’t do much of anything, but sit in the bridge and do crossword puzzles. Captain Lee is the perfect balance between the two; he trusts us to run our own departments, but still steps in when he needs to make sure everything is running the way it should.

Q) In the past guests have described you as cold and noted your “bitchy resting face.” Were there areas of your life/yourself that you changed or reevaluated going into this new season?

A) After watching myself on television, I was shocked to discover that sometimes I do come off a bit cold or “bitchy,” when in my mind I was just doing my job and thinking of the 6,492 things that still needed to be done. I do feel like there is a bit of a double standard. It seems like when the males onboard are too busy concentrating to smile it’s forgivable. When Captain Lee is docking the boat nobody is telling him to smile more. When Ben is busy in the galley preparing a meal, no one ever says “Hey, cheer up why don’t ya?!” When the deck crew is driving the tender or dealing with the water toys, you don’t hear guests telling them to put on a happy face. Sometimes I wish people would understand that my job has a lot of responsibility just like the other departments. When I was working as a 2^nd stewardess, I was “little miss sunshine” smiling all of the time….because the Chief Stew was the one handling all of the details.  But, yeah, I tried to smile more this season.

Q) Last season you clashed with some of the charter guests. Can you tease any memorable or interesting moments for fans to look out for this season?

A) The charter guests we had on Season There were possibly the best collection of guests I’ve ever had on a yacht.  Every group was exciting, polite and just a lot of fun.  Also, we had quite a diverse assortment of personalities this year; from the (super hot) tattooed founders of “Tap Out” to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” each group brought their own dynamic onboard which made for a very interesting season.

Q) You seem to have some chemistry with co-worker Ben [Robinson]. With him coming on part-time this season, where does your friendship stand?

A) Ben is one of my favorite friends in the world.  We work well together and share a similar sense of humor probably due in fact that we have about the same level of yachting experience.  When you’ve been working in the industry for a while, it effects your personality so it’s nice to have someone that just “gets it.”  Having Ben join us was definitely a highlight for me this season.

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you enjoying the instant fan feedback you have receive when the episodes air?

A) I absolutely love hearing what the fans think of the show.  Everyone involved works really hard on “Below Deck” so it thrills me to hear that people are enjoying it.  I feel fortunate that I am on a reality show in a time where fan feedback is so accessible via the various social media platforms. I even appreciate the negative feedback because it just keeps everything in balance….and some of the time I even agree with them.

Q) What do you think it is about “Below Deck” that has made it a fan favorite show?

A) It’s funny one of the things I hear the most from fans is, “I love your show! And my husband/boyfriend even watches with me!” Because “Below Deck” is about a crew working out on the open ocean on the world’s best sea faring vessels, there is a certain sense of adventure involved in addition to the interpersonal drama.  Also, it really is a glimpse into the lifestyles of the rich and famous that a lot of people would never get the chance to see otherwise.  I think that the viewers enjoy the show for the same reason the yacht crew enjoy their job; it’s a way to experience the world the way billionaires do, if even for only a short amount of time.

             Below Deck airs Tuesday's at 9pm on Bravo