Below Deck fans have reacted to reports of Chef Rachel Hargrove’s exit from the series. Chef Rachel made her reality TV debut on Below Deck season 8 and quickly became one of the main attractions on the show due to her raunchy personality and culinary skills. Although Rachel’s first season also came with some very controversial moments, she managed to navigate through all of it and returned for season 9. In her second season on the show, Rachel was one of the standout performers — making improvements in nearly all aspects of her job.
So it wasn’t surprising that she joined Captain Lee Rosbach and chief stew Fraser Olender in returning for season 10. The trio was the only crew member to make it out of an underwhelming season 9. Despite Rachel’s strong showing in the current season, reports have confirmed that this will be her last-ever appearance on the franchise. The redhead Chef fell out spectacularly with producers following a social media tirade that saw her slam both the show and its producers Bravo.
Rachel first disappointed producers with a now-deleted controversial tweet about Bravo reality star Austen Kroll. She then slams the show while reacting to a Reddit thread. She said:
“I hate the show… I’ve always felt that way since before I filmed season 8. It’s just time for me to tell them to get the [email protected]*$ off my back and stop treating us like the way they do. Eddie did it, and now I did it.”
Rachel effectively sealed her fate on the show with subsequent posts on the issue. She also backed up Eddie Lucas’s accusations against the network for treating their workers unfairly.
Below Deck Fans Praise Rachel’s Development and Attitude
Despite her occasional outbursts, Rachel remains one of the biggest success stories of the Below Deck franchise. She came into the popular Bravo series as a diamond in the rough but has remarkably improved over the past three seasons. Since it became public knowledge that this would be her last season, fans have been reflecting on her time on the show. Many fans took to Reddit to laud the Chef for her impact on the show. While commenting on the thread, one of the users u/Caseylk81 shared:
“I feel the exact same. I admit her first season was a bit rough for her, but I know they were dealing with their loved ones and Covid and missing her boyfriend. I think she reflected on her first season and improved.”
Another group of users highlighted how good she was at her job — remarking that her food knowledge was never-ending. They also quickly blamed Bravo for her exit and accused the network of making the show less enjoyable due to their “shady editing.” Many of the users expressed their admiration for Rachel and described her as a genuine person. They revealed how the reports of her exit saddened them and admitted they would miss seeing her on the show.
Below Deck Fans Will Miss Chef Rachel
Most of the fans are still finding it a bit hard to come to terms with Rachel’s exit from the show. One Redditor deeply weighed into the topic, claiming Rachel was a perfect fit for the job. The user highlighted how she has both the culinary skills required and the personality that makes for great TV. The user felt whoever Bravo decides to bring in to replace her would have some big shoes to fill, given how Rachel made the role her own. Many fans agreed with this line of thought and praised Rachel for her contributions to the show since she debuted in season 8. While many fans admitted that her first season was rough, they happily admitted that she had grown steadily since then. Below Deck fans will remember Chef Rachel Hargrove fondly, and they all wish her more success in her future endeavors.
