Tzarina Mace-Ralph Reflects on Her Tense Moment with Captain Jason Over the Final Charter Dinner
The Below Deck Down Under chef shared new details about her professional relationship with Captain Jason Chambers.
Earlier this season on Below Deck Down Under, chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph faced some critique from Captain Jason Chambers about her cooking for one of the charters. Following the meal, however, Jason spoke with Tzarina who owned up to her mistakes, and the pair proved they could work well together on the boat.
“She’s owning it. She understands what went out, and hopefully, next time will be better,” he said. “A self-aware chef definitely has got the potential to grow.”
Tzarina certainly grew over Season 2 of BDDU, and her evolution came into play during the season's final episode when she and Jason were at odds about a complex meal request for the final charter.
Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph and Captain Jason Chambers' disagreement over the charter guests' dinner request
At the end of Season 4, Episode 17, which aired on September 11, Jason gathered with chief stew Aesha Scott and stew Jaimee Neale to dish on the final charter guests' dinner request: Teppanyaki. the Japanese-style cuisine where the food is cooked on an iron griddle in front of patrons. In the United States, the meal became popularized with the chef taking on an entertainment element while preparing the meal, often performing tricks.
Since Tzarina didn't feel comfortable putting on any kind of show, she suggested the enlistment of deckhand Culver Bradbury's impresario alter ego "Keith Stone" to assist. Jason, however, disagreed with the suggestion.
"Tzarina's request for bringing out Keith is her deflection on taking some attention off herself," Jason stated in a confessional. "These guests have requested a Teppanyaki chef, they want the spotlight on her, so that's what they're gonna get... I think she can pull it off and it's gonna be fine."
After Jason explained to Tzarina she would be on her own for the dinner, she walked away upset. "You're putting me in a situation where I feel very uncomfortable and I get horrendous stage fright," she explained in a confessional, later telling Jason she wouldn't do the meal.
"'I'm not gonna do it' is not an answer on this boat," Jason retorted in a confessional. "It can be done. It will be done."
In Episode 18, which aired on September 18, Jason came into the kitchen to discuss the situation with Tzarina.
"Let it all go and just deal with what you have in front of you," Jason calmly stated to Tzarina, who was still reluctant. "I'm not gonna say anything, sorry," Tzarina responded. "I hate this."
"It's not what you want it to be [but] nothing is ever going to be easy," Jason continued. "Whatever you do is going to have hurdles. They wanted this style so...you do it the way you can do it."
Tzarina noted that she had been "planning" in her head all day to partner with Culver for the meal and felt like the idea of her working alone was suddenly thrust upon her. "You have frustrations, that's fine," Jason affirmed. "Try and let it go, work through."
He continued in a confessional: "I know Tzarina, I know what she's like. Tzarina just needs encouragement. She just sees a mountain of work in front of her and she just needs to know to bite a little bit off at a time and she'll get there."
Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph nails the Teppanyaki dinner
Though she was hesitant about the dinner, Tzarina ultimately pulled through and the guests were not only pleased with her cooking, but her showmanship. Moreover, they encouraged her the entire time, saying, "We're all in this together!"
The meal, which consisted of several meats on kebabs, prawns, corn, and other veggies, was topped off by the famous "onion volcano," where Tzarina topped several stacked onions with a mixture of Saki and Vodka to light them on fire — much to the delight of the charter guests.
What's more, Tzarina pulled off the trick of tossing a prawn in the air with her spatula and into the mouth of one lucky guest — who happened to be the captain.
Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph reflects on that last dinner argument with Captain Jason
Tzarina spoke with BravoTV.com on September 14 about the season, reflecting on that Teppanyaki moment and how Jason became like a "father figure" to herself and the rest of the crew.
"That last meal having to entertain and cook in front of people at the same time... I feel like I really personally began to overcome that fear," she shared. "Here, Jason was like, 'No, you kinda have to do it.' Normally, I just hide in the kitchen."
She added: "[Jason's] a huge father figure for everyone on board, for sure. I think [I might get backlash for saying no] to Captain Jason, but I don't think [people] realize how close our relationship was. In that moment, I was talking to him as a friend."
