'MasterChef' returns with an Iowa competitor throwing a watch party on Wednesday night

Grant Gillon has made it through regional cuts and three competitions on “MasterChef: United Tastes of America,” the reality television show with Joe Bastianich, Gordon Ramsay, and Aarón Sánchez as judges.

Gillon, 32, hails from Altoona and represents the Midwest contingent on the show. The director of sales at Kinship Brewing Co. in Waukee learned to cook when he started watching videos of Ramsay on YouTube late at night when he couldn't sleep.

So far, the self-made home chef has made state fair food, an apple-inspired dish and on the last episode, dubbed “Trial by Fire,” made what started as disastrous mashed potatoes for a lunch for 101 firefighters in Ventura County, California.

“That first batch of mashed potatoes served to Gordon were really that bad,” Gillon said.

That day was incredibly windy, with gusts at 20 to 30 mph. “We couldn’t get a pot of water to boil,” he said. “With a field challenge, you’re batting to elements too.”

Gillon said that group challenges called into question his communication skills as well as his ability to work on a team.

In the end, his team did win the challenge; none of the lumpy mashed potatoes were served to the firefighters. “I think my soul would have left my body if I didn’t see the red smoke,” Gillon said. The winner found out via a smoke bomb set off with the color of the winning team tinging the vapor.

More: Get to know Grant Gillon, the Iowan competing on 'MasterChef' with Gordon Ramsay

Gillon did become closer to Kolby Chandler, the entrepreneur from Houston. “Kolby on our red team and I bonded over those potatoes,” he said of the Houston-based contestant. “I became great friends with him. We didn’t get mad at each other.”

This week, the 17 remaining contestants face another challenge dubbed “Birds of a Feather Mystery Box.” Gillon described the episode as a chicken challenge with a twist.

Jennifer Maune, the Little Rock, Arkansas, lifestyle blogger who won immunity during the last two challenges, will not have immunity but does have an advantage in the competition.

More: Iowan Grant Gillon competes on the new season of 'MasterChef,' starring Gordon Ramsay

Gillon holds a watch party on Wednesday at Kinship Brewing Co., 255 NW Sunrise Drive in Waukee with Kyle Hopkins, the cicerone from Kansas City, Missouri, who’s on the Midwest team with Gillon. The party starts at 6 p.m. with a meet-and-greet with both contestants, followed with the show airing at 7 p.m. on FOX.

At the end of the season, one home cook will win it all and take home a cash prize of $250,000 and the title of America’s “MasterChef.”

Gillon would like to open his own restaurant in Altoona at some time.

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Watch Grant Gillon on 'MasterChef' at Kinship Brewing Wednesday night