Chef Ben's 'Below Deck Down Under' Cabin Standoff Sparks Explosive Showdown With João Franco

What started as something fishy between Chef Ben Robinson and Chief Stew Daisy Kelliher has erupted into full-on yacht warfare on Below Deck Down Under-and now Second Officer João Franco is getting dragged right into the chaos.

Ben may have been frustrated that his elaborate fish presentation didn't go as planned, but now he's channeling all his grievances at Daisy-insisting on sleeping in a makeshift guest cabin and flat-out refusing to leave.

He's had no problem commandeering a guest cabin between charters, sharing during the latest episode that it allows him to get the restorative sleep he needs to do his job. But when stew Jenna Woudberg tells him this time isn't going to fly because charter guests arrive the next day, he flippantly saunters into the cabin, locking the door behind him. Tension between the galley and interior has been building, and when Daisy wanted to talk about it during a crew night out, Ben says he's not talking shop while off the clock.

But now that he's locked himself in the previously made-up cabin, tempers flare within the interior who worked throughout the day while Ben napped. Frustrated and dejected, Daisy says to Jenna, "I'm over it. Go pull him out."

When João suggests he remove Ben from the cabin, Daisy warns, "I personally think you're opening a huge can of worms. I'm so upset. I don't think it's worth giving him the attention." But João still thinks Ben should not be sleeping in a made-up guest cabin, so Daisy ultimately gives him her blessing to get involved.

And Daisy was right that João's involvement would open a huge can of worms. Since Ben locked himself in the cabin, João gets the room keys from the superyacht's engineer. Startled when he's woken up, Ben is on the defensive from the minute his eyes fly open.

When João explains Ben can't sleep in a bed that's been made, Ben's response is that "they can make them again." Then Ben threatens, "Do you want a chef or do you want to make a bed again?"

Ben says, "Piss off," rolls over, and adds, "Get the f-k out of here!" Despite his initial gentle approach, João is clearly getting aggravated with Ben, especially once Ben pulls back the top sheet and covers, throwing the pillows on the floor.

"F-off," João says, locking the door behind him, which Ben can easily open. As he walks down the hall, Ben shouts at João, "Go f-k yourself a-hole." João remains calm but throws up his middle finger.

Below Deck Down Under is on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.

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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 8:59 PM.