Chef Rachel Hargrove Broke Up with Her Boyfriend, in Part, Because of 'Below Deck'

Season 9 of Below Deck is officially in full swing, and viewers can tune in to see the latest drama with the My Seanna crew members and with their often-demanding yacht guests.

While most of the yachties working on My Seanna are new to the Below Deck universe, there are several returners. In addition to mainstay Captain Lee Rosbach (who is temporarily off the boat as he deals with a "condition") and with veteran star/First Officer Eddie Lucas, the Season 8 chef, Rachel Hargrove, has returned.

Despite having a few meltdowns because of the guests, her working relationships both Eddie and the then-chief stew, Francesca Rubi, and her desire to see her boyfriend, Vincenzo, during Season 8, Rachel is back in the galley to cook up some fine dining cuisine and, of course, to stir up some drama.

In the Season 9 premiere, some things returned to normal right away as Rachel and Eddie reignited their past feud. However, there's one major change for Rachel in her second Below Deck charter season: she broke up with her boyfriend.

As longtime fans of the Bravo series will remember, throughout Season 8, Rachel often discussed her desire to see her Italian boyfriend. During filming, the couple had gone several months without seeing one another. As news about COVID-19 began to circulate on board, Rachel grew worried that she would be prevented from getting to visit Vincenzo following the charter season.

While the chef was upset about a seemingly high-maintenance set of guests, she temporarily quit the boat in Season 8 so she could try to see Vincenzo. She soon returned to My Seanna, and she finished out what was left of the charter season.

The eighth season ended in March 2020 ahead of the last charter as the pandemic lockdown restrictions began.

After her first run on the show concluded, Rachel parted ways with Vincenzo.

"We're not together," she said during an episode of the Watch What Happens Live after show in January 2021. "Yeah, it took us five months to get back together — well, to see each other again from the start of filming. It took me 21 days at sea to get back to him, and before I knew it, it was done."

Months later, while discussing the ninth season with Us Weekly, Rachel offered further insight into her split. She shared that filming the show again proved to be a sticking point in their relationship.

"I got an ultimatum of, 'Please don't film that show,'" Rachel shared in an October 2021 interview with Us Weekly. "And then, 'Why are you still working on boats?' So I was, like, 'Well, you met me doing it.'"

She noted that it also wasn't easy for the two to be involved in a long-distance relationship.

"It's extremely difficult," she added to Us Weekly. "I mean, it is what it is, especially if your partner's not on the vessel with you. You're out of port for so long and that individual is alone to their own devices. So there can be insecurities that arise and arguments or misunderstandings that happen."

The Bravo personality was single while filming Season 9 of Below Deck, and she has not otherwise indicated that she is currently in a relationship.

While viewers will get to see single Rachel for the first time during the St. Kitts charter season, there's one co-star who we can assume she will never engage in a boatmance with: Eddie Lucas.

Below Deck airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.