MasterChef cooks up a storm in Royal Wolf shipping containers Contestants on MasterChef Australia created everything from five spice pork belly to Szechuan calamari for 200 special guests – and they produced the fancy four-course menu out of specially modified shipping containers. The Royal Wolf containers – made up of 4 x 20ft event kiosk containers and a 10ft high cube container – were located on a scenic pier on the Melbourne waterfront as part of the Pop Up Challenge.
Split into two teams – Red and Blue – the contestants set up in their container kitchens, created a pop up restaurant, and then each team prepared four dishes for their invited guests. Royal Wolf’s kitchen containers have been modified into full commercial kitchens and are designed to have additional space to prepare, plate and serve dishes to guests. Royal Wolf Chief Executive Neil Littlewood says the MasterChef Pop Up Challenge showcases the versatility of containers and the volume of what can be produced in a mobile container kitchen. “Two hundred guests is a lot of people, and while the contestants had a few cooking nightmares during the challenge, the containers provided an ideal and efficient space for them to produce some stand out dishes.
“The challenge is also a great example of how easy it is to customise a container through simple additions to give it its own unique look and feel.” Mr Littlewood says because the pop up challenge was located on one of Melbourne’s piers the portability and shape of the containers were ideal to fit into a narrow and limited space. “MasterChef highlighted the many uses of containers but it also showed their incredible portability. They allow business owners and event operators to set up in any location and once the containers hit the ground they’re up and running and ready to go.” Royal Wolf modify containers for a wide range of projects, ranging from construction worker offices and lunch rooms to pop-up cafes and storage solutions.
The containers used for MasterChef are designed for food outlets, festivals and events and have a kiosk-style design, with an opening and servery along one side, and the inside is fitted out with food grade stainless steel benches and kitchen fittings. “Royal Wolf is pushing the boundaries of what people would usually think a shipping container can be used for. They can be used for anything, from dry storage to chemical storage and pop up retail solutions to a commercial restaurant kitchen as MasterChef has shown.” Royal Wolf also offers a wide range of storage containers and portable buildings that can be used for the events and retail industry including ticketing outlets, refrigerated storage, art displays, branded kiosks and merchandise outlets.
