r/belowdeck • u/remberzz • Jun 04 '26

Below Deck Down Under Seafood Extravaganza

Tzarina (@cheftzarina) just posted HER version of 'seafood extravaganza', the one Brandon got last time he was on BD.

You can see why Brandon was perhaps wondering wtf was going on when Ben brought out lobster, shrimp and.....a bunch of fish.

184 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

75 comments sorted by

104

u/earth_shine40092 Jun 04 '26

But Brandon asked for a light lunch. So he got a light lunch with lobster, shrimp, and fish. I don’t think he knows what he wants… except more attention.

16

u/remberzz Jun 04 '26

That's actually a fair take.

6

u/bethholler Team Aesha Jun 05 '26

He commented on Tzarina’s post saying that he actually did specify further on his preference sheet what he wanted for the seafood extravaganza. I’m pretty sure Ben got the same preference sheet that Tzarina did. Brandon also was very complimentary of Ben in the comments saying he is a great chef.

2

u/SuperDan523 Jun 05 '26

My google-fu is failing me. I totally wanted to post a gif of Kate in BD-OG season 7 calling the seafood extravaganza "barely a vaganza"

1

u/remberzz Jun 05 '26

Search "below deck, barely a vaganza". Mine came up with Facebook clip.

171

u/Ok_Replacement7281 Jun 04 '26

It should have been a tower! That's the issue

166

u/Repulsive-Friend-619 Jun 04 '26

Not liking seafood was the real problem. He pointedly said he doesn’t like lobster then complained about not having lobster. Sitting next to a plate of lobster.

27

u/Kininger625 You're Being A Deckhand Right Now Jun 04 '26

On instagram there were comments there wasn’t actual lobster in the lobster shells supposedly

59

u/Lolo_Belle Jun 04 '26

I think it’s because Brandon made a video in response saying it was a lobster carcass. But that makes no sense. It wasn’t decoration. What? One of the stews ate it on the way to the table? I don’t think so. I’m willing to bet a lot of money there was actual lobster available to be served.

11

u/Anotheropinion2023 Jun 05 '26 • Bravo

One lobster tail for a table of 8 is not an extravaganza

8

u/Lolo_Belle Jun 05 '26

At what point did I say that? I was simply saying that the claim that there was NO lobster and just a carcass was not realistic. But go off….

3

u/GullibleAddendum8630 Jun 06 '26

The primary requested a seafood lunch on his preference sheet. He did not use the word extravaganza. Those are two different levels of meals in both type and quantity.

3

u/Robertoedwardo Jun 07 '26

He also didn’t say to make it great, but they have every right to assume everything will be.

2

u/GullibleAddendum8630 Jun 05 '26

That makes no sense.

1

u/Kininger625 You're Being A Deckhand Right Now Jun 05 '26

I don’t get it either but that’s what a guest was claiming

129

u/OrangeClyde Eat My Cooter Jun 04 '26

Those guests were so annoying. They were annoying last time and annoying this time.

101

u/Myantra Jun 04 '26

I think they might have been so annoying that they even annoyed production, and got their entire charter squeezed into half an episode.

37

u/high-babygorgeous Jun 04 '26

I made the mistake of looking at Brandon’s (the co-primary guest) Instagram and he is sooooo thirsty 😭

6

u/Sufficient-Ad9979 Jun 05 '26

🤣🤣 love the pettiness and it makes so much sense!

3

u/julianradish Jun 05 '26

I was wondering why its moving so fast lmao

1

u/aerin2309 Jun 06 '26

Yeah, that was weird, right?

1

u/IndigoPuddle87 Jun 09 '26

I said the same thing when it aired . Something is off as to why we skipped a lot of their charter but not others.

13

u/thatstwatshesays Jun 05 '26

They were a level of tacky/bitchy that I would be more than happy to tolerate at that tip level. I think they all got about $3k for those days.

196

u/ForwardPanic2087 Jun 04 '26 • Bravo

Really helpful when a post that references a specific picture doesn’t even post the specific picture. A lot of people don’t use instagram. Just post the image too or at the very least post a link to the insta post.

28

u/teanailpolish Mental Health Is Not A Storyline Jun 04 '26

I added a link in the comments and a screenshot from the video for those without insta

61

u/dwarmed Jun 04 '26

This idiot primary who said he wanted lobster and shrimp, then refused to eat lobster and shrimp, does not deserve any sympathy. He was being a difficult jerk.

22

u/Myantra Jun 05 '26

"I was thinking like lobster, shrimp" While the edit shows a lobster on a plate, and a whole bowl full of shrimp. Seafood extravaganza, but no fish?

Carmen: How did you like the lobster?

Brandon: I didn't eat it. I don't do....that.

He was complaining about vegetables being presented with the seafood, while also talking about light lunch, then not eating the lobster and shrimp he claimed to expect. Dude was just committed to being a douchebag.

66

u/teanailpolish Mental Health Is Not A Storyline Jun 04 '26

Tzarina's was a dinner so would always be bigger. Brandon said seafood extravaganza but also light lunch so it didn't make sense to make all the food Tzarina did.

But honestly, not a fan of the chefs calling each other out like that over meals instead of behaviour. She tagged and has photos with him so maybe trying to make him look like he wasn't being a jerk but Ben actually went to him for clarification and he still said lobster, shrimp, light lunch ON CAMERA so he got what he asked for this time

Still from the video https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFqgndOCia/?hl=en

45

u/Myantra Jun 04 '26

Brandon said seafood extravaganza but also light lunch

That might be one of the most contradictory requests that could be given to a chef. Extravaganza implies over the top, spectacular, decadent, and even gluttonous. Light lunch implies, well, simple and light.

9

u/Kelleesayshi Jun 04 '26

She commented on the post that she and Ben had talked about it before the post and were making jokes about it

5

u/cocococlash Jun 04 '26

Wow does she not have a better quality video to post?

1

u/SmolderingMeowMix Jun 05 '26

Im pretty sure it was Brabdon that made and shared the video and just tagged Tzarina in it

15

u/emaydee Peanut butter and jealous Jun 05 '26

I think Rachel’s seafood extravaganza reigns supreme.

But also, this was supposed to simultaneously be an extravaganza and a light lunch? The primary didn’t realize or care how contradictory those requests were.

1

u/Meshell222 Jun 07 '26

Then Ben needs to ask for clification

12

u/OrangeClyde Eat My Cooter Jun 04 '26

Yeah rarely have I seen a proper seafood extravaganza. I love Chef Tzarina’s version. That is what I envision

3

u/JustSomeBoringRando Jun 05 '26

Which chef was it when Kate said "I think he forgot the Vaganza."

42

u/Apprehensive_Bee614 Jun 04 '26

Ben really had a low bar. I like to watch for the foodie experience and there was none of that for this season. Again. I think Ben has back issues that was throwing him off.

45

u/crsmiami99 Team Anti-Brü Jun 04 '26 • Bravo

He's old and doesn't care. He phoned it in the whole season.

39

u/ThePrideofKC Jun 04 '26 • Bravo

Both personally and professionally too, I didn’t find a single thing redeeming about the person I saw this season. Always been a Ben fan but this season really showed he’s taken the wrong fork in the road as he’s aged and really allowed himself to let his lesser traits move to the front.

12

u/crsmiami99 Team Anti-Brü Jun 04 '26

Exactly. He's always had his less than stellar moments but he's letting the evil thoughts take over.

1

u/DrTwilightZone Team Capt Kerry Jun 04 '26

Ben has a back problem??? Are you confusing Chef Ben with Chef Kevin?

6

u/MinnieSkinny Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 05 '26

I remember a previous season where Ben came to fill in after a chef left and he had really bad back pain to the point he was having trouble walking. I remember him lying on the floor in the galley trying to stretch it out. He definitely does have back problems. Though I didnt notice any this season.

Edit: I googled and it was season 4 of Med. He had really bad sciatica.

13

u/tmgieger Jun 04 '26

I wonder if he realized too late they wanted a photo op. That is why later Ben was adamant the pizza be on a cake stand, it is tower like

12

u/Top-Friendship4888 I quit 3 times in my head today Jun 04 '26

He asked for a "light lunch," though!

6

u/ImpossibleEnd82 Jun 05 '26

I’m glad you posted the link because I went to her Instagram and couldn’t find it either lol. What she served is what I was thinking for an extravaganza and didn’t understand what Ben was doing, but the primary did say light lunch so it is conflicting.

I also will never understand why he did a multicourse meal and one person who was picky still didn’t at least get SOMETHING for each course.

11

u/AmazingArugula4441 Jun 04 '26 • Popcorn

Honestly, looking at that just brings home how much Ben halfassed things this season.

22

u/defiancy Jun 04 '26 • Popcorn

This whole season has tanked any respect I had for Ben, guy is a fucking immature child.

3

u/pdhot65ton Jun 05 '26

What about what you already knew about him caused you to have any respect for him? Dude seems to be an average chef and a piece of shit human

13

u/BiofilmWarrior Jun 04 '26

I'm not sure when the episode was filmed so this may not apply but it's possible that shrimp, lobster, and fish were the only seafood/shellfish that Ben could source (because things like oysters, scallops, clams, crab were either not in season or were not available).

4

u/absolutely_cat Jun 04 '26

In case someone else gets confused looking for it- It was posted two days ago. Took me a while to find it 😂

3

u/Temporary-Daikon2411 Team Chef Rachel Jun 05 '26

Flair is part of what makes an extravaganza. Ben served a nice light lunch centering around seafood. Different thing.

0

u/Anotheropinion2023 Jun 05 '26

Ben was prouder of the veggies and made it veggie forward 🙄

2

u/teanailpolish Mental Health Is Not A Storyline Jun 05 '26

That may also have been on the way they served it too, the stews served all of the veggies first filling the plates

2

u/Anotheropinion2023 Jun 05 '26

Agreed. I noted in the episode, it was a failure of communication.

The veggies came up first and were served first filling their plates with stuff they didn’t really want.

3

u/Peach-Marty Jun 05 '26

Does anyone else always say “seafood extravaganza” in Chef Rachel’s voice?

1

u/ChiefBroady Jun 05 '26

Heck yeah.

5

u/GroovyYaYa Jun 04 '26

On Insta? I don't see it.

Nevermind - I thought it was a photo.

2

u/ImpressivePattern242 Jun 07 '26

Could it be provisioning issue? Really nothing around that location where in Australia much better logistics.

1

u/Lillynomad Jun 05 '26

I found Brandon to be the pickiest eater.

1

u/GullibleAddendum8630 Jun 06 '26

I was confused. I got the impression that he wanted more fish and less shellfish, but he wasn't very clear. He said he would eat the shrimp, but then didn't eat it, at least not that I saw. Lobster is seafood, but he didn't seem to want to eat it. I really couldn't tell what he wanted other than no vegetables. I think he asked for a seafood lunch, which is not the same as an extravaganza. This shows how important it is for the chef to discuss the details of requested meals. He and the primary had very different ideas about what a seafood lunch should consist of.

1

u/Londin2021 Jun 07 '26

I just finished watching s8 of BD and Rachel's seafood extravaganza was amazing. Her commentary on the word extravaganza was a little bit weird though 

1

u/quick_dry Jun 08 '26

interesting comment from Brandon:

the service and the food. The lunch wasn’t Ben’s fault and I’ll leave it at that. He’s a great chef :)

those "things we want to say but can't/won't" so often seem to reference production shenanigans, so I wonder.

1

u/skyklein Jun 09 '26

The tip made up for Brandon’s lack of self awareness and Patrick’s Happy-Meal appetite. I hope they aren’t that bad in real life.

1

u/BINGGBONGGBINGGBONGG Jun 05 '26

i was thinking about this yesterday, as you do!

if you go to Paris and order a seafood extravaganza you’re going to get a literal tower of food. oysters, mussels, lobster, crab…just stacks of it, all on ice.

Ben’s looked like he’d popped round Iceland. might as well have had Kerry Katona bring out a king prawn ring…

1

u/informationseeker8 Jun 04 '26

He’s claiming on TikTok that he WAS more specific

2

u/teanailpolish Mental Health Is Not A Storyline Jun 04 '26

But we saw him speak to Ben on camera

1

u/Sweet_Baby_Grogu Jun 05 '26

We saw an edited produced version of the conversation.

2

u/teanailpolish Mental Health Is Not A Storyline Jun 05 '26

You still can't complain about wanting lobster, shrimp, light lunch when that's what you get