Aesha Scott thrived as the Chief Stew of Below Deck Mediterranean season 9, and her success in the position hints she’s returning for season 10. She's coming back to the Mediterranean-based yachting series after starring in Below Deck Down Under seasons 1 and 2. After leading the latest Below Deck series to fan-favorite status alongside Captain Jason Chambers, Aesha returned to the cast of Below Deck Med, where she got her start in the franchise. She was a stew in seasons 4 and 5 of the spin-off, working under Hannah Ferrier and Captain Sandy Yawn.
During her first stint in the franchise, Aesha was a standout crew member, beloved by the audience for her bubbly, endearing personality. She grew her skills as a yachtie enough to be deemed the leader of the interior department on Captain Jason’s Below Deck Down Under, where she cemented herself as one of the best Below Deck Chief Stews ever. While parts of the show felt stale at times, Aesha was the saving grace of season 9. Her incredible performance working with Captain Sandy may lead to her snagging a permanent spot in the Below Deck Med crew.
8 Aesha Worked Swimmingly With The Crew
(Most) Of The Cast Adored Her
A crew full of franchise-first yachties joined the Below Deck universe in season 9. Aesha and Captain Sandy were the only seasoned personalities who had appeared on the show before the ninth installment, though Elena “Ellie” Dubaich previously worked one charter in season 7. Aside from Ellie, no one else from the cast had experience working on the superyacht while filming for the show. It had to be incredibly daunting embarking on filming a reality TV show, and instead of acting like a famous star, Aesha connected with her co-workers.
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She was kind, receptive, and understanding towards everyone. Above all, she treated crew members and guests with respect. While Aesha had to navigate conflict with Ellie and Bri Muller throughout the charter season, she didn’t pick sides. She always gave people a fair hearing when they had issues.
Aside from her interior department, she appeared friendly with the deck team. She checked in with Bosun Iain Maclean throughout the season, in her role as a department head, and worked with Chef Johnathan “Jono” Shillingford in the galley on a daily basis. Aesha could get along with anyone, which she proved once again in season 9.
7 Aesha & Captain Sandy Are A Great Chief Stew & Captain Duo
They’re A New Below Deck Duo
There’s no denying the Chief Stew and Captain have a great personal and professional relationship. Before season 9, Aesha had developed a bond with Captain Sandy. She worked for her as a stew during Below Deck Med seasons 4 and 5, though their friendship went far beyond the camera. When Aesha returned for the ninth installment, she revealed she had been on double dates with her fiancé, Scotty Dobbo, and Captain Sandy and her wife, Laura Shafer. She didn’t hide her excitement about reuniting with the captain on the Mustique, and admitted she was thrilled to be able to prove herself as a Chief Stew.
Below Deck duo Aesha and Captain Sandy are beloved after season 9, and it would be a shame if they didn’t have the opportunity to work with each other again on the show. Since Hannah was fired during season 5, the captain has failed to find an adequate replacement for the former Chief Stew. They’ve cycled through several Chief Stews in her absence, including Bugsy Drake, Katie Flood, Natasha Webb, and Tumi Mhlongo. Despite each of the women doing an adequate job in their seasons, none of them formed an incredibly strong bond with Captain Sandy, as Aesha did. Their off-screen friendship aided their working style in season 9, further proving why Aesha should return for season 10.
6 She Defused Bri & Ellie’s Conflict As Much As Possible
Their Feud Was Aesha’s “Biggest Challenge” Of Season 9
The main source of conflict in Below Deck Med season 9 was Bri and Ellie’s love triangle with Joe Bradley. The stews spent the majority of the show fighting over the lead deckhand who had no interest in being with either of them. At the top of the season, Ellie told Bri she wanted to pursue a potential boatmance with him, though Bri disregarded her feelings - she ended up hooking up with him anyway. Before their night in the hot tub together, Ellie acted as a mentor for the third stew, taking the pressure off Aesha’s shoulders. Ellie taught Bri the ins and outs of yachting.
"I think where I did really struggle — which you’ll see — was managing stews, my girls’ emotions."
However, their relationship changed after Bri hooked up with Joe. Ellie stopped helping her, acted rudely toward her, and threatened to use her status as a second stew to have her fired from the crew. When they brought their issues to Aesha, she sat the stews down to hash out the drama. The Chief Stew admitted to The Daily Dish in July 2024 that Bri and Ellie’s feud was her “biggest challenge of the season.” While they continued to argue after their sit-down, Aesha did her best to squash their drama, to no avail. Bri and Ellie woudn't change their points of view, though Aesha made sure not to pick sides.
5 Aesha Was A Shoulder For The Crew To Lean On
She Was There For Gael Amid Her Breakup
Aesha was a great support system for the crew of season 9. Above all, the Chief Stew formed an extremely close friendship with deckhand Gael Cameron. As Gael dealt with relationship issues, Aesha was there for her, acting as a support system for her new friend. She felt comfortable enough to confide her feelings in Aesha without the fear of being judged. Gael’s situation was tricky as she joined the superyacht with a boyfriend but found a connection with fellow deckhand Nathan Gallagher. Instead of judging her for sorting out her feelings, Aesha did what any good friend would do and supported her friend.
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When Gael’s ex broke up with her during a crew dinner, the Chief Stew rushed to her side and acted as a shoulder to cry on. If she hadn’t been there for her at that moment, Gael might have felt isolated and could have potentially left the Mustique to tend to her relationship back home. Instead, Aesha was there to lift her up, offering words of encouragement. The Chief Stew continued to defend Gael after the episodes aired, explaining that the full scope of her relationship with her ex wasn’t depicted on the show.
4 She’s Most Likely Not Returning To Below Deck Down Under
It Would Be Hard For Aesha To Lead Two Shows Back-To-Back
While fans adored Aesha on Below Deck Down Under, her casting on Below Deck Mediterranean all but confirms she’s not returning to the other series. She made her debut as a franchise Chief Stew on the Australian-based show with Captain Jason’s guidance. Aesha faced plenty of conflict in season 1 with Chef Ryan McKeown and Magda Ziomek, though she was also a pivotal part in one of the worst moments in the franchise yet. She was present when Luke Jones got fired for sexual harassment during season 2 after entering Margot Sisson’s cabin naked while she was passed out.
Production had to step in and remove Luke from her bunk after he tried to drunkenly slam the door shut on them. Aesha had suspected the Bosun was not in the right frame of mind after the crew had been out drinking. She stayed close to Margot throughout the night and consoled her after the horrific event. The unfortunate moment is embedded in Below Deck Down Under history, though viewers commended the crew and production team’s response to the incident. As such a pivotal member of the spin-off, it would be odd for Aesha not to be in season 3, but it would be hard for her to serve as the Chief Stew of back-to-back shows in the franchise.
3 Aesha Pulled The Interior Team’s Weight All Season Long
Bri & Ellie Weren’t Much Help For The Chief Stew
While Bri and Ellie were busy feuding over Joe, Aesha pulled her weight with no complaints. They worked without a fourth stew during most of the charter season due to a leak in one of the Mustique’s cabins. Instead of griping about not having extra help, Aesha stepped up to the plate and put in extra effort. Bri and Ellie weren’t the most experienced yachties, but the Chief Stew didn’t seem to mind their lack of experience.
When she tried to let them run a lunch service without her help, they were incredibly unprepared, leading Aesha to end her break early and continue working to ensure the quality of the guests' experience. It would have been nice for Aesha to have help from her team, but instead of being discouraged about their performances, she quietly continued to give 100% of her effort to her work each and every day.
2 Aesha Shut Down Ellie’s Drama
She Didn’t Let The Second Stew Walk All Over Her
After struggling without four stews all season, Carrie O’Neill joined the crew for the final few charters. Once she arrived, Aesha had a lot more help, and the interior team was far more successful. While Bri was excited about learning from Carrie’s extensive experience as a stew, Ellie selfishly worried she was going to take her job. Aesha admitted Carrie outranked both her OG stews but didn’t give her the title of second stew so not to hurt anyone’s feelings.
However, Ellie did attempt to confront Aesha after Carrie began working predominantly on service. Aesha immediately shut her down and told her the decision wasn’t personal - it was for the benefit of the crew. Ellie’s ego clouded her judgment and made her jealous of Carrie. However, Aesha made sure both women retained their dignity.
1 Aesha Is The Most Popular Below Deck Personality Right Now, & The Show Needs Her
Below Deck Med Needs Aesha
Quite frankly, Aesha's the most popular current Below Deck personality, and Below Deck Med needs her. Since Hannah was fired in season 5, the spin-off has struggled in terms of ratings. Below Deck Med used to be known as the best show in the franchise, but fell in popularity after the longtime Chief Stew was fired. Before Aesha returned, the show felt incredibly boring.
While season 9 wasn’t the most entertaining series, it was better than season 8 because of Aesha. Bravo and the production team are likely willing to diminish the success of Below Deck Down Under to improve Below Deck Med, which they proved with season 9. Producers take risks when they do things like this, but sometimes, risk brings reward.
It will be interesting to see how Below Deck Down Under does with a new Chief Stew in the wake of Aesha’s absence. Her casting as the Chief Stew of Below Deck Med season 9 was a smart move by the show’s production team. Time will tell if Aesha will return for season 10, but all signs are pointing to her comeback next season.
Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo, then streams the following day on Peacock.
