Lisa Vanderpump and her staff are back for Season 2 of Vanderpump Villa, pulling out all the stops to deliver an unforgettable experience for their guests, set against the breathtaking backdrop of a luxurious Italian castle in the countryside.

Season 2 of the reality TV show promises no shortage of drama thanks to Lisa’s drop-dead gorgeous staff and their unforgettable guests, including the women of MomTok. This time around, Vanderpump Rules alum Stassi Schroeder joins the villa as Lisa’s eyes and ears… and to attempt some halfway decent goat cheese balls.

Welcome To Castello Rosato

Season 2 of Vanderpump Villa says ‘bon voyage’ to Château Rosabelle in the French countryside and ‘ciao’ to Castello Rosato—a breathtaking 12th-century castle in the heart of Italy. Lisa Vanderpump and her staff are ready to welcome their first-ever guests to this spectacular new location, where they will have one of the best experiences of their lives.

Episode 1 kicks off with the staff meeting one another for the first time. There are several new additions to the new season, and many returning faces, including servers Marciano Brunette and Hannah Fouch, chef Anthony Bar, events coordinator, Gabriella Sanon, mixologist Andre Mitchell, and housekeeper Grace Cottrell.

Lisa included several new additions to Season 2, which is definitely a good thing when it comes to taking care of the demanding guests. The new staff members are:

• Ashley, chef
• Dominic, chef
• Bridget, sous chef
• Sam, bartender
• Lexee, mixologist
• Tyler, activities coordinator
• Tyler G, server
• Alyssa, server
• Aidan, server
• Sher, server
• Sianna, events coordinator
• Siadi, guest services
• Hagen, housekeeper

As fans will recall, Season 1 staffers Gabrielle and Andre had a flirtatious relationship, with the former admitting that she was most nervous to see him again. After working together in France, they never defined their relationship with Gabriella sharing, “I think this is gonna be the test. “

Hannah and Marciano—who once dated and definitely brought the drama—are back working together this season. Lisa opens up about why she invited them back. “Hannah and Marciano were together last year, and they were a train wreck. They were very capable servers … I hate it when people make mistakes and don’t get second chances,” Lisa shared.

In a confessional, Marciano admits that he’s a changed person from last year. He wants to show Lisa that he can be professional, but maybe also spin a few records inside the castle for the guests. He speaks to his former co-workers and apologizes for his actions last year, hoping to start on a clean slate, but not everyone is buying it. Meanwhile, Hannah shares that she and Marciano “are friends” and that’s all. However, she asked Bridget, the new sous chef, to be her roommate so that she could make sure she doesn’t sleep with Marciano. Hmm, I guess Hannah isn’t totally over him?

Lisa comes in where she shares a major change this season: The staff member who works the hardest will be offered a job at one of her “new establishments.” This employee will also get a major cash bonus: $30,000. Maybe Maricano and Hannah should try their best to stay away from one another this season…

Lisa then allows the staff to get to know each other a bit more before the real work begins. The staff go to dinner in the majestic Orvieto, Italy. Interestingly, Marciano and Bridget appear to form an instant connection.

The Villa Gets Its First-Ever Resident Guest

The next day, it’s time for the staff to suit up and head to their first official meeting. Before the guests arrive, Lisa drops a surprise—someone special will be living with them throughout their time at Castello Rosato. This resident guest will be their responsibility, and their first challenge? Prove they can work together to meet the guest’s needs, while also delivering a flawless tea time and family dinner.

The guest is here, and it’s none other than Vanderpump Rules alum Stassi Schroeder. She arrived with her husband, Beau Clark, and their two children.

Stassi and Lisa have tea, and we see the two talking about their past relationship when Stassi worked for Lisa at SUR restaurant and what a different and more successful life she leads now. “I always followed Stassi. I’ve seen her flounder, but I’ve always seen her bounce back. I don’t believe in counting people out as long as they learn and grow,” Lisa shares.

Lisa shares her plans with Stassi. She wants her to be on the lookout for any major flaws within the interior. “Remember when I used to tell you don’t get involved in other people’s business? Well now, I want you to do the exact opposite,” Lisa says.

Meanwhile, the kitchen staff are already experiencing a few issues, most of which revolve around Bridget—specifically her lack of knowledge when it comes to using kitchen equipment, understanding different types of food, and following leadership. As a result, she receives a stern talking-to from Executive Chef Anthony.

The staff have their first trial run by setting up a dinner for Stassi, her husband, Lisa, and her husband, Ken. New staff member, Alyssa, and returning staff members Marciano and Hannah are serving the four guests. Lisa wants Stassi to test them. Stassi asks them for ranch, which is a pretty wild request in Italy. The chef promises to make Stassi all the ranch she wants moving forward, and the staff pass their first test.

The staff are off that night and the women overhear the men talking about who they like among them. Andre admits that he may no longer be interested in Gabriella, and it hurts to hear it because he tells her something different behind closed doors. Marciano and Bridget are at the pool and Hannah sees this and wants to do something about it. Hannah walks towards the two and yells at Marciano. “He is the epitome of, like, trash,” she tells Bridget.

New staff members Siadi and Sianna end up sleeping together before the first guests even arrive.

Is Someone Already Getting Fired?

Before the arrival of Lisa’s first group of guests, Executive Chef Anthony gives Bridget another talking too. She admits that she needs guidance, and he isn’t giving it to her. However, as a sous chef, Anthony believes she should know simple things like how to turn on an oven. Bridget steps away from the group and is seen crying to the producers. Will she last within the castle?

While Stassi is here to serve as Lisa’s eyes and ears, she’s also navigating the complexities of her marriage to Beau, giving us a deeper look into their relationship. Beau is struggling with his career choices—particularly now that Stassi appears to be the primary breadwinner.

The end of Episode 1 sees Anthony going into Lisa’s office to discuss his issues with Bridget. He doesn’t think she has a good attitude in the kitchen and lacks the basic skills of a sous chef. We then see Bridget entering Lisa’s office. Lisa doesn’t think Bridget is ready. The episode ends with the possibility that Bridget might get fired.