Captain Sandy Yawn Shares Her Best Piece of Chef Advice for Anastasia Surmava

The seas have been mostly calm on this season of Below Deck Mediterranean, but there have certainly been some metaphorical storms in the kitchen. Chef Mila Kolomeitseva's El Paso tacos were just the start of all the drama, as Anastasia Surmava's stint as chef also resulted in a few complaints — and not just from charter guests.

Some of Anastasia's fellow crew members noted a change in the new chef since she became head of the galley. In the clip above, Hannah Ferrier declares, "I can tell she's getting too big for her boots." And Hannah's not entirely alone in that opinion.  

When chatting with The Feast about Anastasia's brief tenure as chef, Captain Sandy Yawn shared the one piece of advice she'd give her. First, Sandy did allow that she was impressed at Anastasia's ready willingness to step into the role of chef when the opportunity presented itself.

"But at some point, her ego took over and she forgot that we're actually there to serve, not to decide what the client wants," Sandy said. "We're actually there to give what the client wants. And when they send back something, the way she was when food was sent back ... It was what do you mean you don't like my food? F--k you, screw you... My suggestion for her would be take the ego, check it at the door, this is not about you, this is about the client, and give them what they want. We're in the service business." 

But don't get it twisted: "She was great. She gave 1000 percent. That girl, whatever she tackles — I like her, very much. And I love that she is focused."