Review
Below Deck Down Under season 3 Chief Stew Lara Rigby’s mean-girl antics are coming out in full force as she wages war against Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph. Lara made her Below Deck debut this season with a leadership style that’s vastly different from that of former Chief Stew Aesha Scott. Lara is stern, inflexible, and incredibly precise in her dedication to flawless service. While she undeniably delivers an impeccable guest experience, her rigidity comes at the expense of her relationships with her crewmates and the well-being of the ship as a whole.
Lara and Tzarina have a history from before Below Deck Down Under season 3. The two worked together previously, and they both insinuated that the experience was rocky. Since reuniting, Lara and Tzarina had clashes all season, which snowballed into an all-out feud. Tzarina eventually revealed that, on their last yacht, Lara stole her sous chef to work in the interior, which she insinuated led her leaving the boat. Now, history seems to be repeating itself, and Lara’s bullying Tzarina off the boat while trying to turn the rest of the crew against her.
Lara Talks Poorly About Tzarina To Alesia
She’s Undermining Tzarina’s Authority
Lara never hesitates to call Tzarina out for her quirkiness, even in front of other people. She began the season by calling Tzarina “weird Barbie.” Later, in front of Tzarina’s sous chef, Alesia Harris, Lara referred to The Brady Bunch and said one of the characters was “a bit quirky and a bit off, like Tzarina.” She completely undermined Tzarina’s authority, and her disrespectful attitude created an environment that made Tzarina feel inferior. Tzarina admitted she’s always struggled with not feeling accepted and wondered what she was doing wrong to make Lara dislike her.
The relationship between Lara and Tzarina took a downward turn when Lara started spending more time with Alesia. Tzarina instantly became defensive, which viewers later learned was because this echoed her previous experience with Lara. Lara seemed to want to take Alesia under her wing, but by doing so, she triggered Tzarina’s fear of being diminished. It turns out her suspicions about Lara may have been right all along.
Tzarina reacted to her anxiety by shutting down, which caused a brief rift between her and Alesia. After the two made amends, Lara wasn’t as forgiving. She scoffed at Alesia’s explanation that conflict was part of the job and made it seem like Tzarina was out of line. Lara’s interference in Tzarina and Alesia’s relationship was entirely unhelpful, and it raised suspicions that Lara was trying to turn Alesia against Tzarina.
Lara Is Very Controlling Of Her Team & Tzarina's
Her Inflexibility Is Holding Her Stews Back
Lara’s perfectionism was on display early in the season, and she has yet to let up on her tight control over her team. Lara has an acute attention to detail, and she demands the same of her stews, insisting they do everything her way. While this makes her a strong leader, it doesn’t always create a healthy environment.
Lara found success with Brianna Duffield in service and Marina Marcondes de Barros in housekeeping. Rather than rotate them, she insisted on keeping them in the same positions for most of the season. But without giving her stews any diverse experience, neither of them has the opportunity to grow. Marina begged for a chance to interact more with the guests, but Lara resisted. It wasn’t until Captain Jason Chambers interfered and told Lara to reconsider. It shouldn’t have taken this long for Lara to give Marina a chance, and her need for control nearly ruined Marina’s season.
With Lara continuously overstepping, it’s no wonder Tzarina is being pushed to her limits.
As Lara grew closer to Alesia, she started to exert the same control over her, too. She even asked Alesia to clean the crew mess, then scolded her for not having the time to do so. Lara had no qualms about ordering Alesia around even with Tzarina present. This makes Tzarina’s claim that Lara had stolen her sous on their last yacht seem more believable, as it appears to be happening again. With Lara continuously overstepping, it’s no wonder Tzarina is being pushed to her limits.
Lara Can't Take Constructive Criticism
She Walked Out On A Conversation With Tzarina & Jason
Lara has an air of superiority that makes her resistant to suggestions, even going so far as to balk at Captain Jason’s suggestion to give Marina experience in service. After Lara and Tzarina had a screaming match in earshot of the rest of the crew, the captain called them in for a meeting. Lara ended up walking out in the middle of the conversation. She claimed it was because she was so upset by Tzarina’s comments about her, but based on her previous actions, it seems more likely that Lara can’t take criticism, even from the captain.
With Lara refusing to even talk through her problems with Tzarina, the two have reached a point of no return. Lara’s constant bullying of Tzarina and playing into her insecurities has irreparably damaged their relationship. Yet she’s still badmouthing the chef to everybody who will listen to make herself look innocent. Lara is the real villain of Below Deck Down Under season 3, and as much as she tries to place the blame on Tzarina, her actions speak for themselves.
Below Deck Down Under airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on Bravo.
