Below Deck Mediterranean season 9’s Chef Johnathan Shillingford has been accused of faking his poor performance on the show, and in a new Instagram story, he appears to be responding to the haters. Throughout the first episodes of Below Deck Mediterranean season 9, Jonathan has been having a difficult time working with the preferences of the charter guests and the provisions he’s been provided. While Johnathan’s struggles haven’t been preventing him from creating dishes that are enjoyable, he hasn’t been wow-ing the charter guests, and he’s been ruffling the feathers of the rest of his crew in the process.
In a newly posted Instagram story, Chef Jonathan seemingly reacts to the hate he’s been receiving. Many have wondered if the chef has been faking his poor performance after not following requests from the charter guests, and instead doing what he felt like in terms of seasoning and style. In an Instagram story from the deck of a boat, Jono is shown making faces at the camera with his tongue out while the song “Wake Up” by Skylar Blatt plays in the background. With lyrics about not caring what others think, it appears Jono is sending a message to his haters.
Should Chef Jono Be Fired From Below Deck Med?
Though the chef has been able to work through tough situations on Mustique, his performance has been lackluster throughout the first two charters. Though Captain Sandy gave Jono some slack after the first charter, where he was unable to provide exactly what the guests wanted due to a lack of provisions, his performance during the second charter was unacceptable. The chef struggled with the charter guests’ criticism, working against what they said in terms of spices and preferences. Even Chief Stew Aesha Scott struggled with the boring desserts that Jono was serving, knowing they were subpar for the charter guests.
While Jono has been able to think creatively in some situations, there has been more struggle than glory. On top of the issues he’s faced in the galley, Johnathan has made a few enemies out of his crewmates during the short time he’s been aboard Mustique. During the first charter of the season, Jono and Elena Dubaich had an uncomfortable interaction when she tried to wake him up to help with the late-night snacks the charter guests had requested. Despite knowing they’d been on the preference sheet, Jono refused. Between his performance and his behavior, Jonathan should be fired soon.
With Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 just getting started, there’s far more charter season to go and Chef Johnathan has made too many waves to continue being part of the crew. As the season has just gotten started, Johnathan’s behavior has been too uncomfortable to stick with the crew. On top of the issues he’s caused interpersonally with the rest of the Mustique crew, his skills in the galley haven’t been up to Captain Sandy’s standard. For his lack of culinary skills alone, Captain Sandy should choose to fire Chef Johnathan from Below Deck Mediterranean season 9.