Lara Rigby came in polished and poised, but her behavior on replace fan-favorite Aesha Scott as Chief Stew aboard the motoryacht Katina, quickly making her mark with her detail-driven, assertive leadership. But beneath the surface of her poised professionalism lies a growing storm.

Lara's journey on especially with Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph. From accusations of favoritism to emotionally charged confrontations, Lara’s presence created growing tension among the crew. Her refusal to collaborate, frequent micromanaging, and divisive behavior drew criticism from multiple team . After a dramatic argument overheard by the crew, Captain Jason had to step in. Despite her skillset, Lara’s manipulative tactics and lack of ability have firmly cast her as this season’s true villain.

5 Lara Clashed With Tzarina Mace-Ralph

Inside Lara and Tzarina’s Explosive Feud on Below Deck Down Under

Things have taken a dramatic turn between Below Deck Down Under Season 3’s chief stew Lara and chef Tzarina. Once familiar colleagues from a past charter, Tzarina had hoped they’d grow closer this time around. Initially, the two seemed to be on friendly , even sharing a cabin. However, tensions quickly rose. Lara, a newcomer, seemed to click instantly with stew Brianna Duffield and sous chef Alesia Harris. Tzarina, returning from season 2, appeared bothered by Lara’s rising popularity, sparking one of the most intense feuds in the show’s history.

Tensions boiled over in the galley when chief stew Lara criticized chef Tzarina’s use of blue plates for a formal dinner, calling them inappropriate for fine dining. The comment struck a nerve with Tzarina, who was shocked and angered, claiming she had never received such throughout her yachting career. Things escalated further when Lara instructed sous chef Alesia Harris to clean the crew pantry daily after breakfast. Tzarina pushed back, insisting she needed Alesia’s in the kitchen and that someone else should take on the cleaning duties instead, deepening the rift between the two women.

4 Lara Is A Control Freak

Is Lara More Focused on Control Than Crew Unity?

Over the course of the season, the tension between Lara and Chef Tzarina has steadily intensified, driven by their starkly different leadership styles. Tzarina values collaboration and open communication in the kitchen, but Lara’s need to micromanage has left little room for that approach. In a recent episode, Tzarina was seen almost begging Lara to stop interfering with sous chef Alesia’s duties. Lara’s decision to take control of the dinner-themed presentations without involving Tzarina came across as a power move rather than cooperation, leaving the chef feeling sidelined and increasingly frustrated in her role.

Lara’s behavior away from the kitchen has also drawn attention for all the wrong reasons.

When she gifted Alesia a lipstick, the gesture seemed more like a strategic play for loyalty than a genuine act of generosity. Rather than encouraging teamwork among the interior crew, Lara has frequently left Tzarina out of key decisions and chipped away at her confidence. During private interviews, she even made a harsh comparison, likening Tzarina to “Weird Barbie,” a jab that felt petty and unprofessional. Altogether, Lara’s actions suggest she’s more interested in control than in fostering true collaboration.

3 Lara Doesn't Handle Negative Well

Why Lara Can’t Take the Heat on Below Deck Down Under

Lara often presents herself with an air of authority that makes her dismissive of input, even when it comes from Captain Jason. When he recommended giving Marina a chance to learn service skills, Lara was quick to reject the idea. The situation escalated when she and Tzarina got into a loud argument, clearly overheard by the rest of the crew. In response, the captain called them in for a discussion, but Lara walked out before it was over. She later blamed her exit on feeling hurt by Tzarina’s remarks, though it seemed more like an inability to handle critique.

Lara’s refusal to have an honest conversation with Tzarina has pushed their relationship past the point of repair. Her ongoing criticism and manipulation have taken a serious toll on the chef, exploiting Tzarina’s vulnerabilities instead of ing her. Despite the damage already done, Lara continues to speak poorly of Tzarina to other crew in an attempt to protect her own image. It’s become increasingly clear that Lara is the true bad guy of Below Deck Down Under season 3. No matter how often she shifts the blame, her behavior has consistently revealed where the real problem lies.

2 Lara Always Wants Her Way

Lara’s “Mean Girl” Energy Is Backfiring

Lara’s “mean girl” attitude is impossible to ignore. While she arrived with polished service skills and a flair for luxury, it’s her clique mentality that may cause trouble. Even Chef Tzarina its Lara is seen as the “cool” one, while she feels like the odd one out. Lara quickly formed a close bond with Stew Brianna Duffield, creating an inner circle that excluded eager but less experienced Marina. Although Lara claimed work divisions were based on performance, favoritism was obvious. Marina even described Lara as cold and unfair in her confessionals.

Earlier in the season, Lara blindsided Chef Tzarina by unexpectedly adding a wine tasting during a planned Texas Barbecue. Instead of collaborating, Lara forced a last-minute change that disrupted service and escalated tensions. This habit of acting without team input shows her disregard for Tzarina and a focus on immature social dynamics. While Lara excels at her job like delivering elegant tablescapes and handling guests smoothly, her refusal to work with Chef Tzarina is becoming a serious issue. Rather than uniting the crew, she’s turning the workplace into a divisive, high school-like environment that’s starting to backfire.

1 Lara Tries To Buy Affection

Lara’s Gift-Giving Strategy Fuels Tension in the Galley

Tzarina got particularly upset when Alesia was unable to find her pink lipstick one day and Lara ordered a replacement tube from the ship's provisioners as a surprise for the crew member, who was overjoyed to receive the makeup. Tzarina accused Lara of grooming her sous chef against her. Tzarina did not consider what Lara did as something a friend would do. She wished for Lara to her, in turn, Aleisa made Lara her confidant, proving Lara’s plan to buy Alesia’s affection had been successful.

“I don’t know if Lara is trying to mess with me right now, but she seems like she’s grooming my sous chef to be against me.”

When Alesia came aboard mid-season as a chef trainee, she quickly became discouraged by the lack of direction from Chef Tzarina and shared her frustrations with Lara. In episode 12, she opened up to Lara and Bri, expressing that she felt excluded from the kitchen workflow and emotionally overwhelmed. Tzarina walked in on the conversation and was clearly hurt, but later apologized, itting her faults and emotional struggles. Despite the apology, Below Deck Down Under star Lara continued to criticize Tzarina’s leadership style. In classic mean-girl fashion, she subtly undermined the chef while gaining favor with Alesia behind the scenes.

Below Deck Down Under airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on Bravo.