Chef Johnathan “Jono” Shillingford from Below Deck Mediterranean has made some mistakes during his time aboard the Mustique, but he shouldn’t be fired. The cast of Below Deck Med season 9 includes a crew of first-time franchise yachties. Below Deck Med season 9 is better than season 8, and the network has its new cast to thank for the show’s success. While Captain Sandy Yawn, Aesha Scott, and Elena Dubaich were on the show before Below DeckMed season 9, Chef Jono is one of the newest crew members, and he’s made the season quite interesting.
While the season hasn’t hit its midway point, there have been many entertaining moments. Gael Cameron and Nathan Gallagher’s looming boatmance offered a unique element of drama because Gael has a boyfriend. Both of Aesha’s stews, Elena and Bri Muller, are romantically interested in Joe Bradley, which is a recipe for disaster. While the boatmances bring conflict, Chef Jono also had a hand in a few dramatic moments during Below Deck Med season 9 and doesn’t shy away from being his authentic self with the crew.
Chef Jono Isn’t Afraid To Stir The Pot
Chef Jono Didn’t Wake Up To Make Snacks
Chef Jono isn’t afraid to stir the pot and stand his ground. During the first charter of the season, Elena woke him up when guests asked for snacks late at night. Instead of caving into her request, he went back to bed. The stew returned a second time and asked him for help, but Chef Jono didn’t budge. He needed his rest and was not willing to wake up and prepare additional dishes for the guests. After the incident, they talked and squashed the beef, but he explained he’d worked hard all day and needed to rest (via Bravo).
Captain Sandy Likes Him Too Much
Captain Sandy Took Chef Jono’s Side Over Elena
Captain Sandy took a liking to Chef Jono after they met. The Below Deck captain prioritized the chef’s needs in his feud with Elena. The stew thought it would be a good idea to wake Chef Jono when guests requested late-night snacks. He opted out of helping her, and when Captain Sandy found out what Elena did, she was upset, even though they asked for extra food after dinner on their preference sheets. After the charter, she told the crew she had a rule to never wake the chef and respect his rest time.
Captain Sandy took Chef Jono’s side in his minimal conflict with Elena. She was empathetic towards him in the situation and could have been more stern with him. Chef Jono enjoyed working with Captain Sandy and looked up to her before his appearance on Below Deck Med season 9. He was excited about working with the Below Deck captain and had never worked with a female captain. Captain Sandy is typically quick to fire her employees if they aren’t performing to her standards, and hopefully, Chef Jono has impressed her enough to be kept around.
Chef Jono Adds An Energy That Makes Below Deck Mediterranean Season 9 Fun To Watch
Jono Is A Great Addition To Below Deck Med
Chef Jono adds so much energy to the Below Deck Med season 9 cast, and the series wouldn’t be the same without him. During his first introduction, he revealed he was an architect before stepping into the culinary world. He worked as a chef for the first time on a superyacht when a friend asked if he could fill in and cook for guests. He didn’t expect to become a chef but fell in love with the role. After meeting Aesha, they hit it off. They have similar upbeat, infectious personalities that mesh together.
He didn’t buckle under the pressure during the first charter of Below Deck Med season 9 when the Mustique received no provisions. Chef Jono made do with the supplies he had and impressed the guests. He had a few stumbles during the second charter, but Jono has time to bounce back and improve his performance. Chef Jono has a bad attitude at times, but he offers hilarious commentary in his confessional interviews. He’s far from perfect, but he fits in exceptionally well on Below Deck Med season 9, and the season would be lacking without him.
Captain Sandy should not fire Chef Jono from Below Deck Med season 9. He received mixed reviews from the charter guests and got into conflict with some of his co-workers. Despite his faults, there’s no denying that Chef Jono is an entertaining personality who adds energy to the crew.