Published Feb. 19, 2024, 12:00 p.m. ET
Bravo is celebrating President’s Day as our forefathers would have wanted… with an all-new episode of Below Deck! The past two episode have showed the new yacthies, led by franchise vets Captain Kerry Titheradge and Chief Stew Fraser Olender, getting accustomed to the motor yacht St. David and learning all the interworkings of the various departments. While Olender leads the interior team with authority and expertise, Bosun Jared Woodin struggles to establish his dominance over a couple newbies and shit-stirring deckhand Ben Willoughby on the exterior crew.
When DECIDER spoke to Olender earlier this season, he confirmed that Barbie Pascual, the entitled but talented Stew from Argentina, would be his “biggest challenge this season.” Despite his years in the yachting industry, Olender confessed he is still “surprised at how difficult people can be to work with.” While Pascual and fellow Stew Cat Baugh butted heads in the last episode, Pascual has been pretty respectful of Olender up until this point in the season.
This exclusive clip from tonight’s all-new episode shows the beginning of cracks in Olender’s relationship with Pascual. It starts out innocently enough. The new batch of charter guests are on board, expecting to be served their margaritas asap. The camera cuts to Pascual and Baugh behind the bar, preparing the drinks, as Olender gives his instructions. “Are we all doing margaritas the same? We need to have consistency,” Olender warns the girls. “Four count, two count, a splash of orange, lime juice,” Pascual replies. “While that sounds delicious, if we just do lime, tequila and Cointreau…” Olender advises, but Pascual interrupts him. “But the splash of orange is necessary for a marg; it’s just how it’s kinda made,” counters Pascual defiantly. “I wouldn’t say that’s the classic way,” says Olender gently and goes to check on the guests.
Unable to drop it, Pascual starts to flip through a cocktail making guide book instead of starting on the guests’ margaritas. The camera cuts to Pascual in her confessional: “He’s telling me no orange juice in my margarita, and I’m like ‘honey, let me show you something.'” As Olender comes back to the bar area, Pascual shows him the book that allows for a splash of orange juice. Uninterested and annoyed, Olender tells her to hurry up with the margaritas.
After Olender gives Stew Xandi Olivier instructions, he comes back to the bar to find Pascual asking Baugh to bring her some orange juice for the margaritas. “Fuck the orange juice,” Olender orders, “let’s get the drinks up.” As Pascual reaches for little umbrellas for the drinks, Olender snaps: “we don’t need umbrellas with the wind up there.” “Fraser, you’re stressing me out,” replies Pascual as she carries out the drinks.
As Olender roots around in the kitchen, he starts to talk to himself so he won’t explode at his team. “We don’t need to look at recipes for margaritas, guys,” he mutters. After Pascual doesn’t answer him on his radio call to tell her she can change out of her white uniform, Olender angrily mutters : “Fucking hell, babe. Don’t give me attitude anymore.” As Pascual reaches her cabin, she takes off her radio and throws it down on the bed. “Fucking sick of him,” Pascual says to herself, “he’s such a dick.” Will Olender and Pascual be able to get past Margarita-gate or is this the beginning of the end for Pascual’s time on the St. David? Tune in tonight at 9PM ET to find out!