The Below Deck Mediterranean Crew Gets Shocking Tip After Difficult Charter
Chief stew Aesha Scott admitted the tip was a first in her career on Below Deck Mediterranean.
After chef Josh Bingham was pushed to his breaking point by a charter guest on Season 10 of Below Deck Mediterranean, he went so far as to walk off the yacht. But he and the crew rallied together to turn the metaphorically sinking ship around, and were rewarded with a huge surprise in Episode 6.
“Success is much about how we pivot and rebound,” Captain Sandy Yawn told the crew during the tip meeting after the guests departed. “So, in this case, what I love is these charter clients actually saw how hard you worked. And so, they decided to give you $40,000. Per person it’s $4,000 each.”
The crew was absolutely shocked and thrilled by the generous tip after serving seemingly unhappy guests for much of the charter. Not only did vegan guests Candice and her husband Carlos criticize Josh’s food, but the guests were forced to stay at the dock most of the trip due to bad weather. When they did venture out on the waters in the Nov. 3 episode, Sandy quickly had to disappoint the guests again due to “choppy” waters.
“We’re going to head back. Because it could get dangerous. The Mediterranean is very unpredictable,” Sandy told them. One guest, Crystal, was unhappy, and admitted, “Like, I’m f—king, like, annoyed.” Primary guest LaDonna also became ill, and commented, “Oh, this motion sickness is for real.” So, it was an absolute surprise when instead of a low tip, it turned out to be a sky-high reward.
Joe Bradley, who joined the crew for the first time in the Oct. 27 episode after two deckhands were fired, declared, “Jesus Christ! Did I show up at the right time?!” Josh was so happy he played guitar in his confessional interview and sang, “Yeahhhh, I’m gonna make lots of money with my big tip.” Chief stew Aesha Scott admitted this was a yachting first for her: “That’s the biggest tip that I’ve ever had on any of my seasons. It’s going to take me a long time to come down from this high.” And deckhand Max Salvador got the group together to thank primary charter guest LaDonna in a video text.
Meanwhile stew Kizzi Kitchener, who urged fellow stew turned deckhand Victoria “V” SanJuan to try out for the deck team during the charter, joked, “I feel like Nathan [Gallagher] owes me a little like recruiter’s fee for finding V for deck.”
Josh Bingham reacts to “nightmare” guests’ comments on Below Deck Med
Chef Josh had his hands full while serving two vegan guests on charter—and the feedback on his first attempts at lunch and dinner were not rave reviews. One of the guests, Carlos, even visited the galley to give Josh criticism in Episode 5.
“This is the first charter that the guests don’t like my food. This is a f—king nightmare,” Josh complained in his confessional.
But instead of giving up, Josh gave it his all on Day 2, serving everything from king oyster, sea bass, lamb and hand-cut French fries, to a unique dessert that included coconut puree, fresh pineapple, coconut and almond crumble, and passionfruit sorbet. When he was called up to the table by a guest, he prepared himself for more bad news.
“I summoned you back up here,” Candice told him. “So, have you made this before or is this something you created tonight?” Josh replied, “I have done it before. I did it for a competition in December last year.”
Instead of a complaint, Candice instead told Josh the dessert was “like a party in [her] mouth,” while another commented it was “divine.”
“Hold on, is that a pig flying over there?” Josh asked jokingly in his confessional interview. “They actually liked it? I can’t believe that!”
Why Aesha Scott was “worried” about Below Deck Med charter guests
Josh wasn’t the only one concerned about the guest happiness and tip during the Nov. 3 episode.
“I’m really worried about how this charter is going,” Aesha confessed. “I can tell they’re not happy at all. They’re just like hiding in their rooms right now. We just need to do something to make them forget how terribly this has gone so far.”
Aesha tasked Kizzi and Joe with creating a group dance to teach the guests after their final dinner—and it was a smashing success.
“This is the first time I think I’ve seen a smile on half of these guests’ faces,” Aesha declared. “Super fun!”
Aesha also made a more personal connection with primary guest LaDonna on the final morning of the charter. She revealed to Aesha that she’d lost a headband that belonged to her 18-year-old daughter who passed away in 2022. Aesha checked the already-made bed and found the missing headband tucked in among the sheets, then shared a hug with LaDonna.
What Below Deck Med guests told the crew before leaving a stunning tip
Despite challenges throughout the charter, Carlos told Josh as he departed, “I ate plenty well because of you.”
LaDonna had more praise to give. “I came all the way from Chicago to do this major reset, and it’s been just an absolute blessing,” she told the crew as she teared up on the dock, before handing over the generous tip money.
Don’t miss Nathan and Gael Cameron giving a big update on their living situation and new adventures with baby Kayden.
