The challenge was designed to enable contestants to prepare their best dish with items familiar to them. For Cathay Cargo, the partnership offered a natural platform to showcase its expertise in the transportation of fresh produce and other perishables from around the world to the world.

“At Cathay Cargo, we connect people, businesses and communities through the movement of goods around the world,” says Ricardo Lo, Head of Marketing. That includes perishables from all corners of the globe, transported using the Cathay Fresh shipment solution.

Air-Land Fresh Lane extension to Macao

The Macao setting was particularly timely for Cathay Cargo, following the extension of the Air-Land Fresh Lane to Macao earlier this year. The lane expedites perishable imports into the Greater Bay Area with Hong Kong as gateway, under a single air waybill and using a transhipment certificate issued by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department.

This simplifies the process and increases speed to market. Using a reefer truck to transfer shipments across the Hong Kong-Macao-Zhuhai Bridge means that perishables can be picked up in Macao by consignees in as little as three hours after a shipment touches down at Hong Kong International Airport.

Speaking at the time, Head of Cargo Sales Hong Kong and the GBA Frank Yau said: “Macao has more than 40 five-star hotels, many with high-end international restaurants. I think these will create the natural consumption market for our air-land connectivity.”

Macao masterplan with Cathay Cargo intermodal links

As a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Macao has a vibrant dining scene shaped by culinary influences and ingredients from around the world. That makes the city an ideal setting for MasterChef Asia, and for Cathay Cargo to spotlight the expertise behind the movement of perishables across its network.

Cathay Cargo brings fresh ingredients to cooks the world over. Whether it’s Australian black truffles bound for Europe or Vietnam’s first pomelo exports to the US, Cathay Cargo has the expertise to deliver them in top condition.

“Every fresh ingredient has a story that begins at its place of origin and travels through a complex supply chain before reaching the table,” adds Lo. “Through our Greater Bay Area intermodal connecitivity and Cathay Fresh solution, we help connect producers and markets across the region and beyond. We were delighted to partner with MasterChef Asia to celebrate how food transcends borders, brings cultures together and creates meaningful connections between people.”

Back in studio

Before the contestants revealed their heritage ingredients, the judges outlined Cathay Cargo’s role in making some of this possible – and then the competition started in earnest. After lifting the ULDs, contestant Nambie Marak said: “I really feel this black chicken has come all the way from my farm!”

Yet, despite the familiarity of the ingredients to the individual competitors, there was a hard-edged streak to the round, as this was the first episode of the series in which the lowest-rated cook would leave the competition. To discover whose heritage-inspired dish impressed the judges, and whose MasterChef Asia journey came to an end, watch episode two.

MasterChef Asia is currently streaming on HBO Max in Southeast Asia where available, and through other channels in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan and South Korea.