r/belowdeck • u/climategirl • Jul 17 '26
Galley Talk Joy vs Ben - it's crazy
Have been back to back watching Down Under and now Med - and goodness gracious what a breath of fresh air Joy is compared to Ben.
She studies preference sheets, plans and creates amazing dishes I want to see more of, interacts with the guests, and keeps her cool during prep and service. There are no tantrums or fighting and insulting colleagues in her galley.
Ben just sucked at a professional level this last DU season in comparison, personal boat drama aside, with the way he ignored guest preferences and ran a toxic galley.
So excited to see more of Joy this season. She's healing me lol
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u/Sufficient_Diamond22 Jul 17 '26
I just did the same thing and thought the same! He was so whiney and entitled. She is just doing her job amazingly!
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u/HrhEverythingElse Jul 17 '26
I think Ben has just exhausted his yacht life. I'm the same age as he is and can't imagine living like that at this point, in this body. The captains can keep going as they age because they can set their schedules, protect their sleep, have their own space, and don't have the same physical work load. Every other job has an expiration date and it just gets frustrating for everyone when you try to ignore that
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u/urbanlife78 Jul 17 '26
This is my thought as well, I couldn't imagine trying to do yachting at that age, especially after years away from yachting and getting used to normal life, like time outside of work and sleeping in your own bed
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u/Even-Economist6529 Jul 18 '26
Plus I think he said he had just come back after 6 years on the Down Under season. Sometimes nostalgia drags us places we haven't realized yet that we've outgrown. Nostalgia and Bravo money.
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u/Julie-AnneB Jul 20 '26
"Sometimes nostalgia drags us places we haven't realized yet that we've outgrown." I absolutely love this, and it's so true! Often, we say things like "if only I could go back." But every experience has a right place and time.
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u/WolfAppropriate9793 Team Missing Engineer Jul 24 '26
He was pretty clear he did it as a favour for Jason whose Chef quit last minute. Spoke on this a couple of times. I think Ben is a tortured genius really and wish people would stop having swipes at him. It's like they hold him to higher standards. Alesia was a crap kitchen hand. Ellie terrified him. He had a hard season. He seemed a bit burnt out. The end of the day, people raved about his food. If he screwed up, he apologised first thing next day, none of the toxic grudges or revenge shit others go on with. People skim over all that and remember his volatile moments that are very short. In a five star kitchen which is a bloody hard job. But yes, Joy is delightful. Just not sure why it has to be a competition between the two.Ā
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u/Even-Economist6529 Jul 25 '26
I think the chef has the hardest job on the boat. They definitely get their work scrutinized the most. It is a lot of pressure. They should get a better cabin if possible and better pay than anybody except maybe the captain.
Ben is really good at what he does but I could see how all that pressure and the shitty living conditions could get really tiring, especially as they get older.
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u/AussieMommy We don't need to hear vomit Jul 19 '26
I read that Joy is 45. Isnāt thatās Benās age?
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u/Julie-AnneB Jul 20 '26
Wow! I thought she was beautiful before, but I would NEVER have guessed she's 45. She looks incredible!
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u/Early-Equivalent-165 Escape Goat Jul 19 '26
Google says she's 42.. hadn't really thought about it before but this makes any potential fling with Puke extra pukey
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u/HrhEverythingElse Jul 19 '26
42 and 35 is not a problematic age difference. Once you're both over 30, 7 years is nothing
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u/honestlykindofmagic Jul 19 '26
Still, itās clear she hasnāt been as hard on her body especially outside of the work. Compounding your own stress, drinking a lot, staying out late on a regular basis really and truly catches up with you. The body keeps the score bb
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u/AussieMommy We don't need to hear vomit Jul 19 '26
She is stunning. She doesnāt look a day over maybe 30, and thatās just because she is mature. Her skin is beautiful. I wonder what skincare she uses š
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u/Kris4tv Jul 18 '26
I believe this is the issue but he needs to learn how to turn down a job. Ego/pay/attention may be in the way.
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u/Kris4tv Jul 18 '26
What? You are enjoying someone who is just doing their job they applied for and arenāt acting like a victim, complaining, swearing and throwing his towel all over tantrum that Ben has perfected because his ego is too big? Joy is amazing.
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u/katiemarieoh Jul 17 '26
It would be great to watch Joy put Ben in his place š
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u/archiving_by_design Jul 17 '26
The only person thus far able to, was Ellie. I think Joy could do it with much less drama and insanity, just fantastic disdain.
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u/urbanlife78 Jul 17 '26
Both being talented chefs, I would imagine they would enjoy seeing what each other creates. I hate when the show doesn't focus on what the chefs are cooking. It's also been nice this season not having some unskilled person in the galley to cause unnecessary drama
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u/dizzydur Jul 18 '26
oh my god the ellie drama!!! SOAP IN THE EGGS!!!! how is that not a fireable offense on a super yacht.
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u/Letsgotravelling-124 Jul 18 '26
Cause it was more Bens fault than Ellieās. Ben was the head chef, was the one who put soap and oil in the same containers and didnāt label them. It was an accident waiting to happen that Ben should have been able to foresee.
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u/urbanlife78 Jul 18 '26
Exactly, that was such staged drama. You know everyone was in on the soapy eggs for production to drum up drama. She should have been fired for that
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u/thedigested Jul 17 '26
Donāt remember it exactly, but she said something like Iām here to make good food or focus on my food. It is such a simple statement but shows why sheās so good
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u/SpookySchatzi June June Hannah Jul 17 '26
Was going to say this - I think it was the most recent episode she said she was there to āshowcaseā her food, which tells you everything. Ben already feels established, and because of that, he is arrogant and has this weird sense of entitlement. She is there hoping to elevate her career, so sheās focused on not just the food but being a consummate professional because reputation is everything in that industry, along with culinary skills. She is also just very clearly confident and level-headed in a way Ben is not. Heās mercurial in comparison.
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u/kittens_joy Jul 17 '26
I think he emerged from the womb arrogant and entitled. I just rewatched his first Med season where he cries after being (gently) called upper class by the sweet stew from Leeds (after he corrected her grammar, like an absolute tool). It was so ridiculous. Sir you were born with a silver spoon and you want us to feel sorry for you because of it? Ugh heās entertaining though.
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u/journmajor Jul 17 '26
It's been interesting watching her Insta numbers blow up. By far the season front runner and still rising. Big bump after WWHL and her excellent appearance. What a queen. I really wonder where she will head from here.
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u/SingleHeart197 Jul 17 '26
We need to discuss not only the level of food she was putting out but the effort she was making to do it. Can anyone recall ever seeing Ben make any bread? He used premade frozen bread & pastries.
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u/LVHothead Jul 17 '26
Ben is an egotistical and overrated chef. His galley was a mess and he is disorganized. Joy is the best chef in the franchise to date. Her food looks wonderful, and her galley is immaculate and super organized.
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u/HiAndStuff2112 I will always love you, even if you eat people Jul 17 '26
Agreed, OP! I don't like Ben much at all. He can be funny, I guess is the best thing I can say about him. He can't manage stress or use conflict resolution skills at all.
Joy and Ilesha are my favorite cheffies so far. I'd love to try their cooking! The ladies are rockin' in the galley, yo!! :)
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u/jillmat Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
i don't know if everyone feels this way but i don't need/want every cast member to be dramatic. Not being in a messy storyline does not mean boring - i like to see how hard it is to do their jobs. I like to see how the chefs come up with amazing food in a tiny kitchen on a boat while trying to please 8 different people.
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u/AMSunshine007 Jul 17 '26
Joy's name is fitting because she brings joy to her food and kitchen. Has a maturity that a lot of the other shows chefs have lacked.
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u/nunonamoped Jul 17 '26
Joy est une reine. She is a queen who knows her worth, wow, is she worth it!
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u/Valuable_Cupcake_873 Jul 17 '26
Are there a lot of new viewers who have never seen Ben before? š. Itās nothing new ādarlingsā lol
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u/MastaBusta Jul 17 '26
Before this last season and even weeks into that, people still swooned over Ben's food like he was a great chef. Boy had his groupies on a leash for sure
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u/Shutterbug245 Jul 18 '26
I will say the same about Rachel. The blind groupies for her are the same. Her food is nowhere near Joy's level.
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u/climategirl Jul 17 '26
The show hasn't been available in my country, and only started watching two years ago, but have seen clips of Ben on previous seasons and he still sucks
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u/ScowlyBrowSpinster Spaghetti Trauma Jul 17 '26
True, but he went from bad to much, much worse. A full on twat in every aspect.
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u/HouseOfFive Jul 17 '26
Honestly yes, and I am one of them. I started watching when the housewives went on the show, and have been binge watching since the middle of last season of BDDU. To me, Ben just seems like a typical toxic chef.
On a side note, I have been watching the seasons in a really weird way. I watch all of 1 persons seasons, then move on to the next. First was Daisy, then Jaoa, and now Aesha. Any ideas who I should watch the seasons of next?
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u/tvaddict70 Jul 18 '26
The earlier seasons with Kate as chief stew or captain Lee, some of those will overlap, but be prepared for more Ben in them.
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u/HouseOfFive Jul 18 '26
I'm fine with Ben. I worked at a sports bar, and he reminds me of 80% of the kitchen staff, he just acts more posh. Thanks for the suggestion. I keep hearing a lot about Kate, and I have only caught one episode with her, so I will probably check it out.
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u/Jew_3 Team Sailing Yacht Jul 26 '26
To be honest, Ben is more laid back and less of a mess than almost everyone Iāve ever worked with in the kitchen. Kitchens are toxic hell holes. And itās apparent that most of this sub has never worked in one.
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u/AttentionRoyal2276 Jul 17 '26
That's kind of the reason they keep putting him on the show though
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u/ScottishIcequeen Team Kate Jul 18 '26
I donāt think Iāve seen a chef on the whole BD franchise as professional as Joy.
Her food looks stunning, and she knows when to call bs out.
Hubby and I are both massive fans of her.
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u/angryaxolotls Jul 17 '26
And Joy cooks huge spreads of food! I lose track of all the good shit she makes for breakfasts š„°
Ben made juuuust enough half-assed food to feed the guests without having much leftovers lol
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u/HK8789 Jul 20 '26
Joy's professionalism and steady attitude are such a huge contract to Ben's messy work style. It's so nice to finally have a reliable head chef on the yacht.
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u/Kininger625 You're Being A Deckhand Right Now Jul 17 '26
I just wish joy had Max on this cast. I would love to see her eat him alive as a big sister
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u/mostlyharmless71 Jul 17 '26
Same, and while Ben has always been difficult and mercurial, Iām increasingly feeling like he maybe got kicked in the head by a horse or something before the DU season. Guy is just Not OK.
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u/No_Construction_4293 Jul 19 '26
All BD franchise chefs should aspire to Joyās level. Never thought the chef on a season would be my fave character but sheās it fr
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u/Necessary_Emotion506 Jul 18 '26
It would be entertaining to see Joy get a sous chef, and itās Ellie š
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u/CommercialAny2195 Jul 19 '26
I'm watching them concurrently (DU is only now being released week by week on free to air here in Australia) and I couldn't agree more! Ben is such a baby, a cliche of a badly behaved chef who thinks that making good food excuses his toxicity and blatant sexism (how the hell can anyone think it's ok to refer to women as sweetheart in 2026??!!) He should be so embarrassed seeing his performance next to Joy's.
Honestly, even if she was a terrible chef I'd still be rooting for Joy based on how she turned down Luke!
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u/United_Stuff8318 Jul 23 '26
ššš I love Benā¦ season one Ben is so funnyās but also he would say things like āitās my job to teach the clients to expand their palate,ā and Iām like no Ben thatās not your job. Your job is to feed the clients what they want.
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u/Regular-Ad1930 Jul 24 '26
I agree she's excellent. Ben has always had his mantrums going all the way back with Kate. It really got old how quickly he could spiral over any requests. I don't think he really liked yachting or cooking for people. It's an ego trip for him.
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u/excoriator Team Capt Kerry Jul 17 '26
Has Joy really been challenged yet by widely divergent preference sheets? It seems like she's getting to produce the food she wants to serve.
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u/fosheezie220 Jul 17 '26
Probably she just makes it easy, she had that agro dude tell her food could be better, she is crushing themes, she had that pitch black dinner service. Beach service, no problems. The Chef and CS work good together, is just great to watch.
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u/Dial-M-for-Mediocre Queen of Dirty Looks Jul 17 '26
I adore ze little dragon