Kate Chastain Confirms She Will Not Be Returning to Below Deck

Kate Chastain confirmed she will not be returning to Below Deck in a post on Instagram following the airing of Part 2 of the Season 7 reunion on Monday, February 17.

The chief stew opened up about her decision and what the future holds in the post. "After many months of reflection and internal discussions, I have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new land based role," she wrote. "I intend to step back as a senior member of the Below Deck Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support His Majesty Andy Cohen.”

Kate first joined the Below Deck crew in Season 2. She has served as chief stew in every season since, including most recently Season 7, becoming one of the longest-running crew members on Below Deck. She is second only to Captain Lee Rosbach, who has been with the series since the very beginning.

Not only has Kate helped lead the Below Deck crew to many successful charters as head of the interior, she has also left her mark on the series with many memorable moments. Whether it was folding a blanket that she still maintains was in the shape of a rocket ship, feuding with her stews or the chefs in the galley or perfectly and wittily summing up all the craziness happening onboard, Kate has taken Below Deck fans on quite the ride over the past six seasons.

Though Kate has dealt with her fair share of drama throughout her time on Below Deck, Season 7 appeared to be the most intense as she found herself in conflict with second stew Simone Mashile, chef Kevin Dobson, and bosun Ashton Pienaar. Kate even briefly quit and walked off the yacht after things got heated with Ashton in the van ride on the way home from one of the crew's nights out this season.

Kate later returned to the boat ready to work the next morning. "I quit that night because I just needed to get off the boat and away from the situation," Kate told The Daily Dish prior to the Below Deck Season 7 reunion. "But of course I came back because I would never leave my crew or Captain Lee without a chief stew for the rest of the season."

Kate reflected on her yachting career when she unexpectedly saw the first yacht she ever worked on docked in the marina in Thailand this season. "I haven't seen this boat in 10 years. This boat is the reason I fell in love with yachting in the first place," she recalled during an interview in the episode. "The last time I saw this boat, I was being fired in Freeport, Bahamas. It's like seeing your long-lost love by accident out of town."

She hinted that she was ready to explore the world outside of yachting in the Below Deck Season 7 finale. "Personally, this has been a very challenging season for me. I'm going to go spend a week alone in a resort and relax. Then, head back to Florida, pack up my life, and move to New York," she shared in an interview at the end of the episode. "I'm scared to move to New York, but I was also scared to start yachting, and I think I'm ready for a new adventure."

Kate gave an update on her life in New York at the end of the Below Deck Season 7 reunion. "It's great," she said. "I like it so much. It's exciting."

Watch Kate reminisce more about her time on Below Deck backstage at the show's 100th episode celebration in January, above.

Go behind the scenes of this season of Below Deck in the After Show, below.

10 Moments You'll Never Believe Happened During the Below Deck Season 7 After Show