Chef Marcos Spaziani scores the biggest tip yet on Below Deck Sailing Yacht

At the end of last week's episode of Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3, Marcos Spaziani got some tragic news from back home: his best friend's mother died unexpectedly, a personal loss that took a toll on the yacht chef. But alas, the charter must go on and the guests must be fed.

And fed they were, with a preference sheet that included a multi-course feast inspired by molecular gastronomy—that fussy foodie discipline that marries high-end dining with chemical tinkering—to be joined by Captain Glenn Shephard. Add to that the fact that supremely windy weather meant that the Parsifal III couldn't actually sail, putting more pressure on the interior crew.

However, like he previously did when dealing with a bloody head injury, Marcos from Below Deck Sailing Yacht powered through the charter's setbacks to deliver truly memorable food for primary guest Lane Merrifield and the rest of his party. 

"I’m going to be keeping an eye out, my friend, because I expect to see the words ‘Michelin star’ somewhere next to your name very soon," Lane told Marcos before getting off the boat. "Every dish totally redeemed the wind and the weather."

Merrifield proved his satisfaction with a hefty tip, the biggest of the season: $23,000, or $2,555 per crew mate. Take that, Charles Sanders!

"The biggest tip of the season, even though we didn't move the boat? I think I'm going to have drinks tonight." Marcos celebrated in a confessional. 

However, the good vibes for Spaziani didn't last long, as, during a preference-sheet meeting for the following charter, the chef learned that he would have to make a multi-tiered, celiac-friendly cake for an onboard wedding. It wasn't surprising when Marcos finally broke down. 

"Gluten-free, dairy-free and a wedding cake?" Marcos said during a talking head. “I’m emotionally destroyed. I’m stressed. I’m tired. This is ridiculous. This is too much."

“This is the first time in the whole season that I’m thinking I’m not going to pull it off. It’s that serious," he later revealed. "I may have reached my limit, and now I’m in a glass of water ready to drown.”

Sensing his despair, concerned chief stew Daisy Kelliher talked to him one-on-one during a crew dinner and tries to ease his worries. "You're an incredible chef and to see you so low makes my heart break," she told him, hugging him as the tears came. "It's a lot going on. I'm a human," he told her. 

Will Marcos make it through the final charter of the season?

Fans are seriously impressed by chef Marcos Spaziani:

Despite his weariness and worries, fans were very taken with Marcos' work ethic and his ability to deliver high-luxury meals in the midst of all of his mourning.