Chef Ben Robinson Shares More Details About His Below Deck Return: “I Wanted to Push Myself…”

Ben Robinson is raising the bar. As fans count down the days to Below Deck Down Under Season 4, the celebrity chef offered more insight into the new season and his long-awaited return to the Below Deck franchise.

“It’s been 11 years since I’ve done a whole season,” Ben told BravoTV.com. “I just wanted to push myself and challenge myself. It was a bit interesting do it.”

Inside Ben Robinson’s journey within the Below Deck franchise
Ben made his Bravo debut in 2013, serving as the executive chef on Below Deck Season 1. The U.K. native exited the series after Season 4, which saw him replace Eros’ initial chef, Leon Walker.

“I’ve decided to take a break from the show this season,” Ben told The Daily Dish ahead of Below Deck Season 5 (2017). “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.”

However, his time away from Bravo was relatively short-lived, as he signed on as chef for Below Deck Mediterranean Season 1 (2016), and returned to the series in Season 4 (2019) as a replacement for Chef Mila Kolomeitseva.

What to Know About Below Deck Down Under Season 4
All aboard! Below Deck Down Under Season 4 has left the dock, with new episodes airing Mondays at 8/7c on Bravo and streaming the next day on Peacock.

Captain Jason Chambers is back at the helm, along with some very familiar faces from around the Below Deck universe, including Ben Robinson, Daisy Kelliher, and João Franco.​​​​​ They will be joined by Alesia Harris, Joe Caron, Jenna Woudberg, Mike Durrant, Eddy Hounsell, and Betul Yazici.

The crew finds itself on rocky waters, as the season kicks off with a historic crossover charter featuring The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 6 cast aboard M/Y Katina. As the yachties continue to set sail through Canouan in the Caribbean, they face crew drama, steamy hookups, and charter guest issues.

Want to watch in style? Check out exclusive Below Deck Down Under merch from Shop by Bravo.

Ben Robinson reacts to his first Below Deck scene

In anticipation of his BDDU debut, Ben took a trip down memory lane and rewatched his first-ever Bravo scene.

“I remember that! Oh, look at that,” he said as his Below Deck Season 1 intro played. “God, I had so much better provisions then, and I looked so much younger. Aww, look at him; he’s a baby. Amazing.”

The scene showed the younger Ben going through the food and kitchen supplies as he provided more details on his background.

“I’m essentially my own boss,” he said in Season 1, Episode 1. “Every meal I make is probably so unique that I’ve never even done it before in my life. That client will never ever get that dish ever again, unless [it’s] from me. And the chances are I won’t even remember it, so I hope you enjoyed it… I’m a confident chef. That didn’t sound arrogant, did it?”

2026 Ben was clearly amused by his past comments.

“He’s a funny guy,” the chef said while watching the throwback clip. “He’s a funny guy, isn’t he? I was so young. I was fresh off yachts, so it was different. I know a lot more now, but sometimes that’s a hindrance, as well.”

BDDU Season 4 will premiere on Bravo on February 2. Learn more about Ben’s big return and why he almost wasn’t hired for the new season.