Sous Chef Anthony Bird was firedonBelow Deck Down Underseason 3, but there were signs he was just a producer plant all along. The British Chef was inflammatory from the start, purposefully antagonizing Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph. While Captain Jason Chambers and Chef Tzarina had their differences, he had no trouble siding with her on the issue and immediately letting Anthony go when he got a new job aboard another yacht.
Below Deck Down Underseason 3has been a bumpy ride so far.Chief Stew Lara Rigby is different than Aesha Scott, ruling her interior crew with an iron fist. Meanwhile, Harry Van Vilet severely injured his thumb, though this didn’t stop him from taking Stew Brianna Duffield on a date. Chef Tzarina was upset that Bosun Wihan Du Toit took Marina Marcondes de Barros out after kissing the Head Chef in a game of Truth or Dare. Amid all the drama, here’s why Anthony was probably a producer plant.
6Anthony Was Always Disrespecting Tzarina
He Couldn’t Stand Her
Anthony could’ve been a good addition to the crew, but he openly hated Chef Tzarina. From the outset, Anthony exhibited an inflated ego, dismissing Chef Tzarina’s authority and questioning her culinary decisions. He openly criticized tasks assigned to him, such as cleaning and organizing, and undermined her by questioning recipes and how she ran the galley. This behavior disrupted the kitchen’s vibes and undermined hierarchy, which is essential on a superyacht.
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Anthony immediately rebuffed Chef Tzarina’s effortsto get to know him through strengths and weaknesses, feeling like it was a second interview. His overconfidence and inability to function as a team player spelled the end. It seemed like he could be a producer plant introduced to incite drama with Chef Tzarina. His behavior was pretty uncalled-for and unbelievable.
5Anthony Was Above Being A Sous Chef
He Worked At Michelin-Star Restaurants
Anthony’s hiring was puzzling because he seemed above a Sous Chef ranking for a superyacht. TheBravostar bragged about working in Michelin-star restaurants. While this was a bold claim to make on the show, there’s no paper trail regarding which establishments previously employed the British Chef, let alone Michelin-star restaurants. If it’s true, and it seems like a big thing to lie about, Anthony was way too advanced in his culinary career to work as a Sous Chef.
Anthony knew he was too good to be a Sous Chef and spent his entire time on the show trying to prove his expertise.
Anthony’s Michelin-star status provides further evidence he was a producer plant. While the press surrounding Anthony is currently negative, being onBelow Deck Down Understill elevated his clout and could put him on the map as an up-and-coming chef.Anthony is only 26 years oldand might view any press as positive attention. Producers planted him for drama, and he agreed to be on the show so he could leave.
He Was Always Planning To Leave
Anthony seemed to plan to leave the boat before he was fired, making him an even more obvious producer plant. He was unprofessional from the start, which no one would do if they wanted to keep their job. Anthony exhibited blatant hostility towards Chef Tzarina, undermining her authority and being as disruptive as possible. He didn’t try to collaborate with her or understand her vision as Head Chef.Anthony was probably trying to get a new job from the second he stepped footaboard Katina.
26
Hometown
London, England
Anthony covertly secured another job during a charter, probably something he planned from the beginning, intending to depart on his terms. Captain Jason had another plan in mind, and upon discovering Anthony’s actions, he terminated the Sous Chef on the spot. It can be difficult to find steady employment as a freelance chef, and Anthony’s nonchalance about the situation indicates he was a producer plant who cut a deal with the team at Bravo for views and clout.
3Anthony Seemed Like He Was Putting On An Act
He Was Trying To Advertise Himself As An Amazing Chef
Anthony always seemed like he was putting on an act onBelow Deck Down Under, and his acting wasn’t convincing. He was always trying to prove to everybody what an amazing chef he was, intending to impress the crew. On the contrary,Anthony’s bragging made Bosun Wihan and Deckhand Harry uncomfortablebecause they didn’t want to badmouth Chef Tzarina. It was already clear where their loyalties lay.
“Things are getting heated in the galley […] Don’t miss a new episode of #BelowDeckDownUnder tonight!”
Chef Tzarina struggled after Anthony’s departure, but it’s worth working alone over dealing with someone who always tries to undermine her. In the last episode, she was stressed about preparing crew food while maintaining service standards for the charter guests, which caused an issue with Captain Jason. However, Anthony’s act indicated his inflated ego and intentions to leave the boat. He thought he was too good for the job.
2Anthony Didn’t Really Connect With Any Of The Crew
He Didn’t Build Friendships
Anthony didn’t fit in with the rest of theBelow Deck Down Underseason 3 crew. He was super focused on his work in the galley and wasn’t as involved in the social scene, but that camaraderie is a key component. His dynamic with Chef Tzarina was super awkward because he couldn’t stand her but also was closest to her onboard. The deck crew vibed well together, with Harry, Wihan, and Adair Werley getting along swimmingly. Additionally, Brianna, Marina, and Lara worked well as an interior crew.
Anthony spent the entire crew dinner complaining about Chef Tzarina, which made everybody uncomfortable. Additionally, he seemed to struggle with not being in charge, which likely affected his ego and relationships with everybody else. Anthony needed to be the person heading the galley, so hopefully, he can find his people aboard the next charter. He was a lone wolf onBelow Deck Down Under, and nobody seemed particularly sad to see him go.
1Anthony’s Ego Was Exaggerated
It Seemed Like He Was Putting On A Show
Anthony seemed like he was a producer plant simply because his ego was so exaggerated. It was difficult to believe that someone would accept a Sous Chef position and simultaneously brag so much about their allegedly amazing career. Anthony was always putting on an act, and was a difficult character with whom to sympathize.
Anthony might have been fired onBelow Deck Down Under, but the franchise shouldn’t give up on having a Sous Chef onboard. Head Chefs are expected to do way too much in the Below Deck franchise, from executing top-notch, luxury meals to keeping the galley clean and preparing crew meals. Hopefully, Captain Jason finds someone more eager to build their career aboard the Katina onBelow Deck Down Under. Chef Tzarina still needs help and could get along with someone a little more relaxed as a Sous Chef.
Below Deck Down Underseason 3 airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo and streams the next day on Peacock.
