Fraser Olender has been Chief Stew on Below Deck for nearly two seasons, but it’s time for the Bravo cast member to be fired. The Chief Stew tends to micromanage and play favorites, and that’s why his leadership abilities are being questioned. Despite Captain Kerry Titheradge’s penchant for firing underperforming crew members on Below Deck season 11, such as disappointing bosun Jared Woodin or former Chef Anthony Iracane, Fraser has remained onboard. However, there are many reasons why he should be fired.
Fraser’s latest antics include a romantic connection with a charter guest. He developed a flirtatious relationship with Steven Raucci, a friend of the primary. Their chemistry escalated throughout the episode, culminating in the guests’ requests for a New Year’s Eve party. Fraser sought permission from Captain Kerry to kiss the guest, and Fraser approached Steven during the countdown to midnight and kissed him. While he played by the rules during the interaction, the chief stew has been consistently disappointing. Fraser hasn’t been fired yet, but he should be.
Fraser Plays Favorites
He Favors Xandi And Dislikes Barbie
Fraser hadn’t made his favorites a secret aboard the St. David. Xandi Olivier, a stew aboard the yacht, has been his sidekick throughout the season. As the season unfolded, Fraser had difficulty hiding his disdain for stew Barbie Pascual, and he and Xandi appeared to gang up on her at times. While Barbie couldn’t handle working alone when Xandi and Fraser were assisting guests off the yacht, expecting the newbie stew to complete all the interior tasks alone was unreasonable. Instead of fostering Barbie’s growth, Fraser criticizes her at every turn.
Cat Baugh’s departure made Fraser more of a team player with the interior crew. Replacement stew Paris Field is low-key and no-nonsense, and Fraser has been forced to bring his crew closer together. While he’s been treating Barbie slightly better lately, his previous behavior can’t be excused.
Fraser Goes To The Captain With Every Minor Issue
He Doesn’t Deal With Interior Problems Himself
Captain Kerry has the heaviest responsibility aboard the St. David. As the captain, he has to ensure every charter goes smoothly, maintain guest expectations, manage the crew, and keep the yacht operating safely. A reliable Chief Stew and Bosun are vital, as they help Captain Kerry to do his job effectively. They handle things, so he doesn’t have to put out as many fires. However, Fraser takes it upon himself to bother Captain Kerry with every little issue.
Fraser takes his personal issues to Captain Kerry rather than dealing with situations himself.
Fraser attempts to bring his personal feelings into his interactions with Captain Kerry. For example, Fraser tried to get Barbie fired for insubordination when she hadn’t committed a severe offense. He also campaigned to get Chef Anthony fired, which worked. Interestingly, he also seems poised to get Chef Nick kicked out of his position. Instead of taking the initiative and solving problems within the interior crew, he needlessly gets Captain Kerry involved.
Fraser Undermines Other Crew Members
He’s Trying To Get Rid Of Chef Nick
Chef Nick may get a taste of Fraser’s vindictive nature, as Fraser appears to be pushing for the dismissal of Chef Anthony’s replacement. Despite high hopes for Nick’s arrival following the departure of Chef Anthony, Fraser expresses dissatisfaction with Nick’s culinary skills, highlighting issues during their first charter service. Unlike previous feuds, however, there are concerns about Nick’s behavior. Chef Nick crosses boundaries with stew Paris, commenting on her eating habits and making flirtatious comments that are inappropriate.
However, Chef Nick isn’t the only crew member Fraser has attempted to undermine. Fraser’s relationship with Barbie has been unprofessional throughout the entire charter. While Barbie sometimes adopted a negative attitude, Fraser’s comments towards her, such as calling her a “b****,” definitely crossed a line. Their dynamic has harmed crew morale and hindered productivity onboard the St. David.
Fraser Kissed A Charter Guest
Fraternizing With Guests Is A Fireable Offense
It wasn’t a secret that Fraser was attracted to a friend of the primary on the latest charter aboard the St. David. Steven, the charter guest, appeared to feel the same way, which led to teasing from his friends. When the crew was asked to put on a fake New Year’s Eve celebration, there was a request for a kiss from the chief stew. Fraser sheepishly asked Captain Kerry for permission, noting that crew members shouldn’t be pressured to mingle romantically with guests, but Fraser expressed a desire to reciprocate.
The pair shared a chaste kiss at midnight, and the moment was filled with tension and anticipation. This was followed by a DM from Steven, inviting Fraser to spend the night in his cabin. Fraser, feeling the weight of the rules and the potential consequences, turned him down, responding that to do so would be a fireable offense. After the charter ended and the crew docked, Steven and Fraser were seen passionately making out in a club.
Kissing a guest is a major offense, but Fraser technically did everything right. He asked Captain Kerry for permission and didn’t go too far. Additionally, he waited until both parties were ashore and off the clock to pursue a romance. Fraser didn’t break any rules, but he played with fire in too many ways during season 11.
Fraser Gossips About His Own Team Members
He’s Always Talking Behind Others’ Backs
Fraser’s love of gossip had gotten out of hand. Despite his efforts to avoid drama and build a cohesive team, Fraser’s attitude has shifted towards favoritism and gossiping. He has openly favored Xandi throughout the season, spending time with her off the superyacht and neglecting Barbie. Moreover, Fraser spent half the season talking about Barbie behind her back and criticizing her to colleagues. He doesn’t seem to have anything nice to say about Barbie, although their feud calmed down.
Fraser’s gossiping doesn’t align with the professionalism necessary for a Chief Stew.
The role of the chief stew is to run the interior as smoothly as possible to enable a safe and enjoyable charter. However, focusing on the guests was difficult when Fraser fostered drama within the stews throughout the season. He pitted himself, Xandi, and Cat against Barbie. Luckily, the introduction of Paris relaxed the interior, but the constant gossip was unprofessional.
Fraser Gets Frustrated Too Easily
He Focuses On His Anger Rather Than Fixing The Problem
Fraser’s micromanaging tendencies have strained his relationships with the crew, causing tension and making it difficult for others to work with him. His inability to deal with his frustrations undermined Captain Kerry’s authority and affected his relationships with the other stews and deckhands. Fraser’s belief in his own superiority and refusal to acknowledge his own mistakes further exacerbated the situation.
Fraser’s frustration is particularly evident in his interactions with stew Barbie, where he consistently prioritizes personal dynamics over job performance. As the season continues to progress, Fraser’s reluctance to address issues directly (and his tendency to favor personal connections over professional responsibilities) may continue to pose challenges for the crew aboard the St. David. Overall, Fraser’s struggle with deescalating frustrating situations has created a toxic work environment aboard the yacht, significantly impacting crew morale and productivity.
Fraser Can Be Disrespectful To Crew
He’s Openly Rude To Everyone
Fraser seems to think he’s above everyone onboard, which leads him to be disrespectful to his fellow crew members. While he’s in charge of the interior, one mark of a good leader is the ability to be strong and direct while remaining kind and respectful. Instead, Fraser micromanages the interior crew and criticizes them when things aren’t exactly right, rather than helping them to succeed in the future.
He’s also disrespectful to the chefs onboard. He fought to get Chef Anthony fired, but he’s already muttering negative commentary under his breath about Chef Nick’s cooking. He met with the other stews to relay his dissatisfaction with Chef Nick. While his complaints were valid, how he casually gossiped with his employees felt disrespectful and unprofessional. Fraser is also consistently dismissive and rude to the deckhands and Bosun Ben Willoughby.
Fraser Is Getting On Captain Kerry’s Nerves
The Captain’s Patience Is Wearing Thin
Finally, Fraser is clearly getting on Captain Kerry’s nerves, which is never a good sign for a struggling crew member. The captain isn’t scared to let crew members who aren’t performing go. What’s especially baffling is that Captain Kerry has kept Fraser aboard despite his lack of professionalism, respect, and leadership skills. However, Captain Kerry is irritated. He dismissed Fraser’s complaints about Chef Nick and asked him to give the new chef a chance. Captain Kerry’s also grown tired of Fraser’s constant complaints.
Despite all the reasons Fraser should be fired, he is a cast member returning for Below Deck season 12. He was seen alongside Captain Kerry in a video captured in Grenada during the latest round of filming. If Fraser can develop a sense of professionalism and respect for his fellow crew members, he could redeem himself. However, as it stands now, it’s shocking that the chief stew wasn’t fired.
