It seems like only yesterday that Grant Gillon won Season 13 of “MasterChef,” but this September marks a year since the Altoona native who graduated from the University of Iowa went from amateur chef to beating out 39 contestants and winning $250,000 on the reality show.
Since winning, Gillon has thrown his own pop-up dinners showcasing the dishes he made that won him the finale as well working private events as a corporate chef who gets to showcase his Midwestern take on Italian fare. He's also worked with chefs such as Aaron Holt, owner and operator of Catering by Doolittle Farm in Story City on dinners and this weekend, serves a course at a sold-out farm-to-table dinner at the Iowa State Fair with Holt and Jacob Schroeder of Moxie Kitchen + Events in Des Moines on Saturday night.
More: How did Iowa's own Grant Gillon do in the 'MasterChef' finale?
Where will Grant Gillon appear next?
On Wednesday, Gillon returns to the small screen, this time as a judge on Season 14 of “MasterChef,” standing toe-to-toe with Ramsay and his team of judges, Aarón Sánchez and Joe Bastianich.
The show on FOX airs at 7 p.m. CDT with the 14 remaining contestants using Blue Moon beer in their dishes. Gillon said that the dishes must be elevated and restaurant quality, just as he had to do in his winning season. This season pits Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z generations against each other.
Since winning the show, Gillon has had time to reflect, and offers some advice to the contestants. “I would tell them that everyone back home believes in them and is pushing them to pursue their dreams,” he said. “Don’t forget to also believe in yourself. That kitchen is intimidating, the clock always bearing down on you, but at the end of the day you need to dig down deep and believe that you can win the dang thing.”
See Grant Gillon at the Iowa State Fair
Those headed to the Iowa State Fair can also see Gillon and his son Grady, 6, make veggie dishes that kids will love during a cooking event with Choose Iowa , the relatively new brand through the state's department of agriculture that promotes food, beverages and other agricultural products that are grown, raised or made within Iowa. The free event takes place in The Kitchen West Room inside the Maytag Family Center at the Fairgrounds at 1 p.m. on Friday. Expect a full house.
Gillon and his son Grady also host a cooking show on Instagram and TikTok called “Gillon Guys,” where the two make a dish such as chicken nuggets or mango lassis together. Grady stars in the show and gives directions for making the dish; Gillon just helps him out.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook , X , or Instagram , or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowan Grant Gillon returns to 'MasterChef,' this time as a judge alongside Gordon Ramsay
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