Below Deck’s Kate Jokes Ben’s Fiancee Will Be a ‘Stepmom’ After Baby Rumors

In on the joke. Kate Chastain had a special way of celebrating Ben Robinson‘s engagement to Kiara Cabral — by poking fun at recent rumors about her former Below Deck costar being the father of her child.

Chastain, 40, took to Instagram Story on Thursday, May 11, to share Us Weekly‘s exclusive coverage of Robinson’s news, writing, “Congratulations! She’s going to be the best stepmom ever.”

The Florida native’s shady comment comes shortly after she announced the arrival of her first child. Days after welcoming her baby boy, the Bravo star slammed speculation that Robinson, 42, was the father of her child.

“For the record, the only thing this handsome guy has in common with any chef is the tendency to get emotional around meal times,” Chastain, who was linked to Robinson between seasons 2 and 3 of Below Deck, tweeted on Monday, May 8, alongside a photo of her son, Sullivan.

The England native, for his part, previously gushed about the next chapter in Chastain’s life. “Who knew that Kate Chastain and I would be the same weight one day… But to be fair I have been hitting the gym! Please wish my great friend @kate_chastain an easy delivery and a healthy beautiful baby! I am so proud of who you have become and the mother you will soon be❤️,” he wrote via Instagram in April.

Robinson, who appeared on various seasons of Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean, first hinted at his romance with Cabral, 29, in 2020. He later gushed about the bond his then-girlfriend formed with his longtime friend.

“Kate’s very good friends with Kiara and we all live in the same building,” he exclusively told Us in August 2021 during a joint interview with Chastain, who added, “The reason it works is because I love his girlfriend. Not in that way. They came to visit me last summer when I rented a house [in Florida] during the pandemic, and she lives down there and our dogs get along. It’s great.”

After more than three years of dating, the professional chef announced that he is engaged to Cabral.

“I pulled all of my friends and family into this wonderful love affair, and with their help we are now proudly engaged and I look forward to a life of love and laughter with the lovely Kiara,” he exclusively told Us on Wednesday, May 10, about popping the question earlier this month. “It’s an amazing feeling secure in such a beautiful romance and friendship.”

Robinson went on to reflect on the early days of his romance with Cabral. “Kiara and I met about seven years ago through mutual friends. The stars had not quite aligned for us back then,” the reality star shared with Us. “I was on a Below Deck roller-coaster, and she was too young and too skeptical for that racket. But we remained friends.”

He added: “We actually started dating just before the pandemic, and she moved in with me. We started living and working together. We were absolutely inseparable, and it felt right. In fact, over the last four years we have spent less than 20 days apart.”