There have been many a mercurial chef on Below Deck’s history. And on Season 12 of the original hit maritime reality TV show, Chef Lawrence Snowden quit without even finishing the first charter.
Chef Lawrence limped through the Season 12 premiere. His cooking was magnificent. But he became increasingly agitated with the camera crew’s presence in the galley. Finally, it all came to a head on Episode 2.
Why did chef Lawrence leave Below Deck Season 12?
“I think, at this point, I’m just too pissed off. I don’t need this in my life,” Lawrence said of quitting during a confessional interview. The British national then officially resigned to Captain Kerry Titheradge.
“F*ck this. I’m out,” Lawrence stated in a less than eloquent manner.
The chef seemingly could not handle being in the spotlight while working in an already tense environment. He claimed to be “shaking” from the stress of it all. Lawrence also felt as if he was “going to have a panic attack.”
Captain Kerry initially tried to motivate the chef to stay. But upon seeing how hell-bent Lawrence was on leaving, the captain then focused on hiring a new chef. As for Lawrence, he felt a weight “lifted off” himself once he quit.
“I’m gonna be going home,” he announced to producers. “I’m not one to just pack things in, in the first day. It feels a bit like a failure. Problem is, when everything is going wrong around you, obviously … there’s a limit. I definitely feel a lot more relaxed now.”
Lawrence continued, “I think the crew are great, and Captain Kerry’s a nice guy. He’s genuine and he’s only been good to me. But my gut’s telling me, Just walk away.”
Captain Kerry shared his frustration in a confessional interview. Supportive at first, the long-time seaman knew that Lawrence couldn’t handle the lifestyle. He said, “I showed him support, but that support couldn’t get him out of his funk. He has decided he can’t be here any longer, and I’m not gonna try and convince him to stay.”
Behind the scenes, Chief Stew Fraser Olender suggested Season 11 Chef Anthony Iracane return to St. David. It was a risky backing, since Captain Kerry fired him the last time he was on board. Fraser defended his decision, “Yes, he had issues, but that man is skilled.”
But ultimately, Kerry decided to give Anthony another chance. He’s had growth since Season 11. Lawrence agreed to stay on board long enough to ease the transition. When Anthony did return, he felt like he was coming “home.”
“It’s a redemption,” Chef Anthony said in a confessional. “I’m not a loser and I can be a winner. And I can make all my family proud. It’s going to be showtime. It’s going to be the Tony show.”
Now, the story transitions to Anthony’s redemption arc.
Catch Below Deck Mondays at 8/7c on Bravo and Hayu in the UK and Ireland.
TELL US – ARE YOU SURPRISED LAWRENCE QUIT? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF KERRY’S DECISION TO REHIRE ANTHONY?
