Below Deck Med recap: Captain Sandy came seconds away from firing Chef Jono

Below Deck MediterraneaN'S Captain Sandy Yawn has changed her mind about firing Chef Johnathan Shillingford literally at the last second.

In the latest episode, which aired on Monday, August 26, Captain Sandy was at her wits' end when it came to the chef. The trouble started when Johnathan served tuna carpaccio to one of the new guests without looking at her wish list.

“It looks beautiful. I would eat it if I could. I can't eat raw seafood because that could kill me. I've said on my wish list about 15 times that I can't eat it,” the guest told Chefsteak Aesha Scott and Sandy. “I have an iron overload. It could kill me if I eat it.”

Sandy was angry at Johnathan for the oversight and said, “What the hell? This is unacceptable.”

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The captain went straight to Johnathan to explain what had led to the mistake. “Raw seafood could kill you, and it's in front of your plate. That's a big mistake,” she continued. “You need to know how serious this is.”

Johnathan tried to argue that some people said that putting “a lot of lime” on raw fish was actually “cooking” it with citric acid, but admitted he was wrong.

“I feel terrible, I don't know how I let this happen. I think I just have too many things on my mind,” he explained. “I still have to get through the rest of dinner, so I can't let this bother me too much. But I can't help but feel like crap.”

That wasn't enough for Sandy. For her, that was the last straw and she told the cameras: “I'm really pissed. In my 35 years at sea, no chef has ever given a guest something to eat that could actually kill them. That's grounds for termination, so now I'm just going to have to look for a replacement chef.”

Sandy was later seen requesting a new cook – in addition to a fourth stew. However, the charter was not over yet and the next night Johnathan received bad feedback after serving a cookie and ice cream for dessert.

Sandy learned that the guests were again disappointed and this reinforced her decision to fire the chef. She called him on the radio, presumably to talk to him about his departure from Mustique.

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“I have to let Jono go. The fact that a cookie was served as dessert on the 25th anniversary, and the fact that he served raw fish to a person who could die from raw fish,” she said in a confessional. “I should just fire him for that.”

As Johnathan approached Sandy, she received a message that read, “Sandy, I'm so sorry. I can't find an available chef at the moment.” Sandy had to change her plans when Johnathan sat down to talk to her.

“Serving raw fish to guests is grounds for dismissal. I won't do that, but that can't happen,” Sandy revealed. “For dessert last night, she was really upset. I'm not sure why she served a biscuit. Why not a crème brûlée or something off her wish list? After all, you want to serve it more often from now until the end of the season than you have been doing so far.”

Sandy confirmed that she intended to let Johnathan go – until she couldn’t anymore.

“I can't let him go, there's no replacement chef. I can't be left without a chef,” she noted in reference to Season 6 of Below Deck Med When Chef Matthew Shea left the boat. “With Mathew we had no chef and the crew cooked and it was the worst food the customers have ever had. At the moment it's my best chance to keep Jono.”

Johnathan was well aware that he was lucky to be alive, saying, “I'm devastated. I was prepared to be fired. I feel like I ruined all the hard work I put into this season. I'm so disappointed in myself.”

Earlier this month, Johnathan revealed that he had no idea Sandy was looking for a successor.

“How would someone feel if someone seemed to be trying to get rid of you?” Johnathan said exclusively We weekly on learning new information while watching Season 9. “I didn't feel that during the show. I didn't know that was her position. I didn't know there was a backup chef.”

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Johnathan didn't let the new information affect how he reflected on the experience, adding, “I maintain that it was an honor to work with Captain Sandy. Because as a feminist – I grew up in a family of strong women who were pioneers in their careers – I've never worked with a female captain before. Regardless of what was said, I maintain that it was an honor to work with her.”

Johnathan isn't sure how things would have been different if he had known his job was in danger.

“I did my best whether she had a substitute chef or not. If I had known that information, I would have worked hard anyway. I don't know if I would have done more. I think I did more,” Johnathan said. “That's what I do. I want my guests to be happy. That's what makes me happy in my job. Not just for the guests, but for my captain.”

He continued: “We have to make her proud. All season I've been focused on making sure she has confidence in me. So I don't know if I would have done things differently if I had known.”

Below Deck Mediterranean Season 9 airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.