Chef Grant Gillon dishes on MasterChef Generations Blue Moon challenge, interview

After his triumphant win on MasterChef Season 13, Chef Grant Gillon returns to the FOX food television program as a judge. Ahead of the MasterChef Generations Blue Moon challenge, the talented chef shared his thoughts on cooking with beer, stepping into the judging role, and some recipe suggestions for using Blue Moon in a dish.

When Grant won the MasterChef title, fans of the popular food television show will remember that two of his three finale dishes included beer. Using an Italian lager in one and a stout in the other, Grant was able to enhance the dish’s overall flavor with the beer.

Combining his MasterChef experience with his own connection to cooking with beer, it was a perfect fit for MasterChef to bring Grant back for this special Blue Moon integrated episode. Ahead of the airing, he graciously spoke with me about the experience.

Now on the other side of the counter, Grant said that his MasterChef return “was definitely less nerve wracking. It was a big honor to return, especially since I have watched the show since its inception. Winning last season was incredible and to be able to share the stage with Gordon Ramsay, Aaron Sanchez, and Joe Bastianich is even hard to put into words.”

Unlike his season, MasterChef Season 14 celebrates generations and their approach to cooking. While there might be age gaps between the home cooks, the culinary knowledge is tremendous.

When asked his thoughts on why the generational concept engages MasterChef fans, Grant shared, “I think there is something where each and every person can learn from all the generations. The viewers are going to see how each generation cooks.”

As a millennial, Grant might be pulling for a particular generation, but he fully appreciates the past, present, and future of cooking styles. Whether it is remembering the tips and tricks from older individuals to scrolling through social media feeds to find the latest hack, becoming a better chef requires constantly learning.

Since he was returned to the MasterChef kitchen to judge the Blue Moon beer challenge, I was curious to understand what Grant thought the home cooks’ biggest challenge would be. His response was straightforward.

“I think that it could be pretty easy for some people to get stuck on frying a dish. Most people think of a beer battered something. It is an easy go-to dish. As you saw in last season’s finale, I showed how you can utilize beer in many different ways, similar to the way people use wine and beer in cooking. As long as the cooks can get that nuanced taste from the beer to come through, they will be good."  

While many people have used a lager or a stout in cooking, Blue Moon has a different flavor profile. Grant thinks it would be smart to highlight those signature notes when incorporating the beer into a dish.

He said, “with Blue Moon, the coriander and orange peel offer so many different flavor combinations.” It will be exciting to see how the cooks pair these ingredients with other elements.

Generally, chefs tend to either complement or contrast flavors when pairing food and beer. Grant prefers to complement the flavor profiles.

Specifically for this challenge, he shared how he would approach it. “I would have leaned into the wheat beer with the orange wedge on top. An Asian style orange chicken would work well. Most likely, I would braise the chicken in the beer and pull out all those other flavors.”

While the Blue Moon and MasterChef sweepstakes might not necessarily have a wok in their giveaway, there are a few tools that could help the home cook become more confident in the kitchen. Sometimes appearances influence the final product.

Also, Grant mentioned that this episode showcased a Blue Moon Mango that would be nice with a dessert course or even a salad course. He recommended using that particular beer in a vinaigrette or pairing it with a light dessert to highlight the tropical notes.

At the same time, Grant urges cooks to be thoughtful when cooking with beer. The biggest mistake that he sees people make is over-reducing the liquid. He explained, “when you reduce beer, you will bring out those bitter qualities. They need to be offset with something sweet, like honey or sugar, and something acidic. It is key to taste and taste again to ensure that all the complementary flavors of the beer are coming through.”

That culinary creativity is what makes people hungry to taste Grant’s food. Although he has yet to open his own brick and mortar restaurant, he has been doing several pop-up and private events. Grant appreciates that these smaller events allow him more time to interact with people and stretch his culinary creativity.

Plus, his social media channels have lots of content. Grant shared, “it means the world to me to have Grady (his son), interested in joining me in the kitchen. Grady is so interested in food and flavors. It is a great example that no matter your age, everyone can learn about cooking."

What will MasterChef fans lean about cooking with Blue Moon beer? Be sure to watch the episode on FOX, Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET/PT and it can be streamed the next day on Hulu.