In an aspect of the invention, an apparatus for providing chilling in a localized area comprises a chiller compartment and an independent cooling source thermally coupled to the chiller compartment by a thermally conductive interface. The cooling source provides a separate controllable temperature to the chiller compartment, which is adapted to be removably positioned in a selected temperature controlled environment. In another aspect a refrigerator comprises a freezer unit, a fresh food unit and a chiller compartment adapted to be removably positioned in either the freezer unit or the fresh food unit as a secondary chilling compartment. In another aspect a method of chilling comprises cooling a modular chiller compartment using an independent cooling source, chiller compartment being removably positioned within a temperature controlled environment and the cooling source and the chiller compartment being thermally coupled.