We like to say “Have Cam GoBox®, will travel,” because of all the ways chefs have put our lightweight insulated transport units to work on the go. While the Cam GoBox was originally designed to easily fit in any vehicle, chefs have proved these units can truly go the distance.
One such chef is Jamie Simpson, Executive Chef Liaison for The Chef’s Garden, Farmer Lee Jones’ internationally renowned Ohio farm known for supplying leading chefs with specialty vegetables, microgreens, herbs and edible flowers. Between hosting more than 600 chefs at the farm each year and traveling across the country for culinary events, Simpson is constantly transporting fresh ingredients grown at the farm. After being introduced to the Cam GoBox by a Cambro sales representative, he quickly discovered why “Have Cam GoBox, will travel” isn’t just a slogan, it’s become part of how he brings The Chef’s Garden experience to chefs nationwide.
In the Fields
Hosting more than 100 chefs onsite in the fields at The Chef’s Garden farm is no small feat; each dinner consists of multiple courses that are cooked by guest chefs.
“It’s always challenging because of the remote nature of it. Even if you’re 100 or 200 yards away from the kitchen…you might as well be in Egypt,” said Simpson.
“Those front load GoBoxes were really crucial; we brought in a bunch of those, put them on carts, roll them out into the yard…prep is insulated, where it needs to be, and when we need it.”
The Cam GoBox is constructed with lightweight expanded polypropylene that provides superior insulation and resolve against rigorous use. 
GoBoxes are available in top loading or front loading, with varying capacities.
When Simpson uses the GoBoxes for cold food, he uses Camchillers® to ensure everything stays cold throughout prep and service.
“The [Camchillers] have a home dedicated in the freezer, and they’re perfect to pull out when you need it,” said Simpson.
When it comes to maintaining hot temperatures, Simpson put it matter of factly: “If you’re going hot, you just put hot food in and it stays hot.”
By Airplane
This year, Simpson has already traveled from Ohio to Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and a few places in between on behalf of The Chef’s Garden. His events range from intimate groups of 10 to a crowd of 4,000 and are spent showing chefs a unique way to approach vegetables.
Simpson does most of the prep work on the farm, packing the most sensitive, delicate and temperature-dependent items in GoBoxes to be checked on the plane. All of the other produce is shipped through the distribution model the farm already has in place.
Previously, he tried coolers and cardboard with Styrofoam liners, but “so far, the best, most lightest easily to handle, maneuverable, et cetera, items, to check on a plane or go boxes that I have found,” said Simpson.
With the GoBox, looks can be deceiving, and some people mistake it for a flimsy container when it’s really anything but.
“At first, the airlines were saying, ‘No, you can’t check this. It’s Styrofoam’,” said Simpson. “It’s not Styrofoam…if you can crumble a corner off of this, let me know, but it’s not gonna happen.”
PROTIP: Use a Camdolly
Whether you’re traveling a mile or 10, we always suggest using a Camdolly Compact with 2 or more GoBoxes. Designed to roll over concrete, gravel, grass or sand, the Camdolly is essential for Simpson to roll his GoBoxes from the car, through the airport and onto his destination.
”When you get to baggage claim on the other end, you’re throwing wheels down, GoBoxes on…strap it and go. Personally, it’s just been really, really, really great,” said Simpson.
“Our wheels have miles on them, miles. Going out of the airport…I’ve rolled these things down city blocks before, and it’s just fun.”
By Mail
When Simpson is done with an event and wants to travel light, he ships his GoBox back home and it returns in “great shape.”
“I’ve mailed them probably 3 or 4 times…I’ll mail tools and knives and stuff like that if I don’t want to have to check knives on the plane. I’ll just throw it in the GoBox, wrapped up, tape it down…you can just put the shipping label right on it,” said Simpson.
For Simpson, the Cam GoBox has become an essential tool for extending The Chef’s Garden’s reach far beyond its Ohio fields. Whether transporting delicate microgreens to a culinary event or sharing the farm’s story with audiences across the country, GoBox ensures ingredients arrive fresh and presentation-ready.
One of the most rewarding things about creating innovative products like the GoBox is seeing how chefs continue to find new ways to put it to work.
