Below Deck Down Under: Lara Rigby Is Reminiscent Of Hannah Ferrier & Kate Chastain As Chief Stew (Her Attitude Could Help The Show)
Lara Rigby is the new Chief Stew on Below Deck Down Under, and her leadership style, evocative of Hannah Ferrier and Kate Chastain, is good for the spin-off. The experienced Chief Stew let the first charter get to her, even crying after a less-than-successful initial dinner service. Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph and Lara knew each other from a previous charter season, and despite having professional issues, they still decided to room together. The two Below Deck Down Under season 3 stars both have strong personalities, so it could be a disaster.
Unfortunately, Lara might be a producer plant who gets fired for dramatic reasons on Below Deck Down Under. She's a perfectionist in the spin-off, pushing her Stews to the edge. While Marina Marcondes de Barros and Brianna Duffield seem eager to please, Deckhand/Stew Adair Werley could clash with Lara as the season continues. In the previews, Captain Jason is seen giving Bosun Wihan Du Toit, Chef Tzarina, and Lara talking to, alluding to firing one of them. However, Lara's strict leadership style is exactly what the show needs.
Lara's Personality Is More Icy Like Hannah Or Kate's
She's A Strong, No-Nonsense Leader
Aesha Scott and Daisy Kelliher dominate the Below Deck franchise with their fun and flexible leadership, but Lara is much more like Hannah and Kate. Hannah and Kate may have ruled their interior crews with an iron fist, but their service standards were always impeccable. They were both fan favorites, and Lara might be following in their footsteps. While there was some vitriol lobbed at Lara due to her strict rules for the interior crew, Marina and Brianna seem ready and eager to please their Chief Stew.
Lara Isn't Afraid To Come Off Mean
She Doesn't Care About Being Well-Liked
Like Hannah and Kate, Lara isn't afraid of coming off as mean. When Adair chose to confront Lara about making the beds despite the guests leaving in two hours, she barely blinked. Lara assured Adair that her attitude and work standards wouldn't cut it in luxury yachting, even adding a condescending "darling" at the end. Lara doesn't care if Adair likes her; she prefers to ensure guest satisfaction over everything.
Lara may make some enemies this season, but as long as the guests and Captain Jason are happy, she won't care. Lara isn't on Below Deck Down Under to make friends. In fact, she's saving up to renovate a home where she can live alone with only her dogs. This is a stark contrast to Aesha, who's always the life of the party.
Lara's Attitude Will Help The Show Succeed
The Spinoff Needs A Tough Chief Stew
Lara might be a little intense, but she's what the show needs. Below Deck Down Under season 2 was a disaster, with Bosun Luke Jones getting fired after attempting to sexually assault Margot Sisson and Laura Bileskalne getting swiftly let go for similar issues. Lara is going to run a tight ship and not let anything slide. While she's much different from Aesha, she's probably the best choice for a change of pace.
Below Deck Down Under season 3 airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo and streams the next day on Peacock.
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