Removing wax from bowl blanks

I’m planning to turn a bowl blank into a spice container for my wife for Christmas similar to:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/14323452?adid=22222222227009470111&wmlspartner=wlpa&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=&wl3=13688345350&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem

Do I need to / should I remove the protective wax before I begin cutting into the wood? I plan to cut the top, then drill and rout out the waste, then cut to shape and so on.

If so, what is the best way to remove the wax?