Season 12 of Below Deck may have just set sail, but the heat in the galley of the St. David is already too much to handle for chef Lawrence Snowden.
“I can’t do another charter. I’m sorry,” Lawrence declares to Captain Kerry Titheradge in the above preview of Episode 2. “I’m shaking, and I just don’t really know what to do.”
Kerry, for his part, tries to talk the chef down and diffuse the situation. “It’s a high-stress situation. It’s a high-stress job. And it’s an environment that you’re not familiar with,” he says. “I know you can f—king do it. Once you get this environment worked out, you’re gonna shine. What I need you to do is put on your big boy pants, and get the job done.”
But Lawrence remains steadfast in the decision.
“I’ll tell you now, instead of at the end of the trip, so you have more time to get someone else,” he tells Kerry.
Why Chef Lawrence Snowden wants to quit after one charter
Chef Lawrence explains more about his mindset in a confessional interview: “I think at this point, I’m just too pissed off. I don’t need this in my life. F—k this. I’m out.”
He also tells the camera crew as he makes breakfast in the kitchen, “I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack. I’ve never had a panic attack before. My head is up my f—king asshole.”
This isn’t the first time Lawrence has become overwhelmed before the camera crew in the galley, though. Before the first charter, he expressed how the presence of the cameras rattled him.
“On top of this, you’ve got just cameras in your face, watching your every move,” he said on Episode 1. “There’s no hiding. Oh, what the f—k.”
Fraser Olender and Captain Kerry react to Chef Lawrence wanting to quit
As the preview continues, Chief Steward Fraser Olender soon discovers Lawrence’s plans to leave after the first charter. “I could freak out right now,” he says in his confessional. “I could panic. But I’ve got no other option. And f—k, I’ve got no chef.”
Fraser then discusses the matter with Captain Kerry, who declares that he’s not going to try to talk the chef into staying. “I know how it is. But you’ve been here a day. And someone’s willing to quit so quick? I can’t have that. I need someone I can trust,” Kerry says.
The captain further explains in his confessional, “I can see he’s getting overwhelmed. I showed him support. But that support couldn’t get him out of his funk. He has decided he can’t do it any longer. And I’m not going to try to convince him to stay.”
Who will Chef Lawrence’s replacement be on Below Deck Season 12?
There’s no telling what’s going to happen with Chef Lawrence just yet, but in the preview for Season 12, Episode 2, Fraser suggests that chef Anthony Iracane from Season 11 replace Lawrence.
“Yes, he had issues, but that man is skilled,” Fraser tells Kerry before elaborating on said issues in a confessional. “Chef Anthony and I, we went through a lot last year. I just think he lost his way, and he spiraled, but he’s got it in him. That boy is incredibly talented. And if I can help him where I need to and guide him, we’ve got something.”
Kerry, meanwhile, is hesitant. As he puts it, “I love the idea of Anthony coming back. He started off really strong. But, his mental state wasn’t good, right? That’s why we had to let him go.”
“I’ve spoken with him a lot,” Fraser replies. “He’s been working on boats since he left our vessel. His confidence is through the roof.”
Kerry’s response? “If he feels ready to come and join us again, I’d love to have him back.”
Tune in to Season 12, Episode 2 of Below Deck to find out what happens next. In the meantime, see what else is to come on Season 12.
