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The Daily Dish Below Deck Mediterranean

Captain Lee Rosbach Offers Words of Wisdom to Anastasia Surmava as She Steps Down as Chef

The Below Deck Mediterranean stew has a message for those who label her "a failure."

By Laura Rosenfeld

If Captain Sandy Yawn is the matriarch of the Below Deck franchise, that would make Captain Lee Rosbach the dad. So it's no surprise that he would be doling out some fatherly advice to Anastasia Surmava at a time when she could use it most.

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Anastasia stepped down as chef in Monday night's episode of Below Deck Mediterranean, which seemed to inspire some criticism among fans. "Thanks to all the people out there calling me a failure," Anastasia tweeted during the episode. "I’ll take your hate and use it to fuel my success."

When Captain Lee saw that, he wanted to share some words of wisdom with the yachtie. "Hope this helps a bit @nastiasurmava. Remember that Success is not final, and failure is not fatal," he tweeted. "It is the courage to continue that counts the most."

Anastasia showed her appreciation for Captain Lee's kindness on Twitter. "Thank you for the words @capthlr I really appreciate it," Anastasia said. "Keeping my chin up. Learning and growing everyday. It’s a journey!"

João Franco, who had previously been skeptical of Anastasia's culinary skills, also praised the chef for her hard work this season. "You certainly did not fail @nastiasurmava! ‘Bad food’ was wrong for me to say but I never knew what was going on. Just an assumption and I was wrong. Just a lot of pressure on you," he tweeted. "You did what you could and that’s all anyone could ask for and more than I could offer!!"

Anastasia tweeted in response, "Thanks João, means a lot."

Of course, Captain Sandy was there to help support Anastasia in person during Monday night's episode of Below Deck Med, as well as later on Twitter. "@nastiasurmava stepped up when the crew needed her most," Captain Sandy tweeted. "That’s what this industry is all about!"

Anastasia tweeted that she is "happy and thankful to have a captain I can speak so openly with."

Captain Sandy also offered up some advice to Anastasia as she moves forward with her career. "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," she said during a recent interview with The Feast. "We're in the service business." 

However, Anastasia already has many admirable qualities, according to Captain Sandy. "She was great. She gave 1000 percent," she said. "That girl, whatever she tackles — I like her, very much. And I love that she is focused."

The Sirocco crew dishes more on Anastasia's time in the galley in the Below Deck Mediterranean Season 4 After Show, above.

See more of Anastasia at work in her chef's jacket, below.

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