Bummer News, ‘Below Deck’ Fans

After three and a half seasons on Below Deck and one on Below Deck Mediterranean, Bravo’s resident surly yacht chef has moved on. Well, at least for the time being. In a recent statement to Bravo’s The Daily Dish, Chef Ben Robinson confirmed he will not be on the next season of Below Deck. And yes, I am screaming into a pillow as I type these words.

Here is what Robinson told The Daily Dish:

"I’ve decided to take a break from the show this season. I will continue to focus on my career as a chef and holistic nutritionist, and I’ll have a lot of exciting news on these fronts soon! The door is always open for Below Deck, and I wish the crew all the best with the upcoming season."

My reasonable, level-headed response: I totally understand why he's taking a breather. The dude did so much Below Deck last year. The one-two punch of shooting Below Deck Season 4, like, seconds after shooting Below Deck Mediterranean is nothing to sneeze at; Robinson’s respite is beyond well-deserved. And hey, he said the Below Deck door is “always open.” He could pull a Kelley Johnson and come back eventually. Hope is not lost. Stay patient, fellow Deck Heads.

My selfish response: Robinson may need a break from Below Deck, but I do not need a break from Robinson. I never need a break from Robinson. We've been down this road before. It is a road is paved with beef cheeks and dirty, highly flammable sheet pans. I do not want to go down that road again.

Not to go all Chicken Little, but what if Robinson goes on this break and decides to never come back? What will the show do without him? What will the crew do without him? What will the charter guests do without him? What will the walkie-talkies do without him? What will the late-night cookie requests do without him? What will the perpetually windy beach picnic days do without him? What will the galley do without him? What will the conch do without him? What will that walk-in freezer/floral arrangement storage unit do without him? What will the entrées do without him? What will the main courses do without him?

Most importantly, what will I do without him?