Live Fire Chefs

Chef Patrick Cahill makes a beef tenderloin for a signature dish Surf and Turf flame up in the kitchen at Live Fire Chefs in the Pine Plaza in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.

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Posted December 2, 2025 | By Jamie Berube, [email protected]

Patrick Cahill trained a chef on how to make the perfect Reuben sandwich 15 times before the chef got it right. Cahill credits culinary consistency and training for the eventual mastery of the dish.

“It all boils down to training. I got a guy back there right now, he’s been here about a year and a half. I probably showed him 15 times how to make our Reuben sandwich, but he makes probably one of the best Reuben sandwiches here in Ocala,” Cahill said.

Executive chef and co-owner of Live Fire Chefs in Pine Plaza, Cahill and his wife, Jacqueline, take pride in their food. And rightfully so.

Stepping into Live Fire Chefs on a warm Wednesday afternoon to interview the Cahills, the atmosphere was fresh as I sat down in the cozy dining room, adorned with vibrant local artwork. The ambiance struck the perfect balance, inviting yet refined, with a rustic charm that hints at the live-fire cooking that defines the restaurant. It’s a place where families can gather for a hearty burger, friends can linger over lunch and couples can savor intimate date-night dinners, all drawn by the promise of exceptional food and service.

After the interview, I ordered the Reuben sandwich to test its reputation as “one of the best in Ocala.” For a sandwich, it was nothing short of a revelation. The rye bread, toasted to a golden crisp, encased a generous stack of tender, succulent corned beef, its rich flavor perfectly complemented by a precisely portioned layer of tangy sauerkraut. Each bite was a symphony of textures and flavors, crisp, juicy, creamy and tangy, crafted with such precision that it held together flawlessly despite its indulgent messiness. Served alongside a side of perfectly cooked broccoli rabe with just the right balance of tenderness and bite, I savored the meal slowly, not wanting it to end.

For some Ocala residents, particularly those who remember the days when the Midnight Rodeo nightclub pulsed in Pine Plaza, Live Fire Chefs’ location might seem less than ideal. Yet, the Cahills are working to reshape perceptions of the aging plaza.

“A lot of people that come in are like, ‘Wow, we didn’t know you were here. This is such an old plaza’,” Jacqueline said.

“And the ones that come in and they try our food, they’re like, ‘Okay, we’re definitely coming back,’” she added.

Patrick is optimistic, highlighting the plaza’s evolving vibe.

“This plaza is actually turning around. We’ve got Zone fitness right next to us and another restaurant down the road. I feel we’re bringing a good crowd of people into this plaza,” he said, acknowledging a lingering stigma from the plaza’s past. “I think everybody who lives in Ocala, they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re right next to the police.’ They start telling us stories about the nightclub that was down there years ago.”

Iris Lewis, a former volunteer with the nearby Ocala Police Department, and Denise Funn sat down for an early lunch at Live Fire Chefs at the time of the author’s visit.

“I had no idea this place was here. I used to volunteer at the police department, and I guess they’ve only been open for dinner for a year, but I’ve never paid any attention,” Lewis said.

“But I like the location, ample parking. That makes a difference,” she continued as she waited for her order of chicken wings to be served.

Lewis and Funn are members of a brunch club. According to Lewis, they are always searching for new, unique spots to visit. A friend recommended Live Fire Chefs to Lewis while Funn discovered it by going to work out at Zone Health & Fitness.

“This is our first experience. We were actually seeking a place to eat. We’re members of a brunch club, and we’re scattered around from Orlando to Tampa and Lakeland, so we try to select different locations close to individuals. And Denise and I live here in Ocala,” Lewis said.

Funn, a vegan, ordered a salad, while Lewis ordered the wings so she’d have some to take home for dinner.

“I like the variety of options,” Lewis said of the restaurant’s menu.

“I’m a vegan, and the salad has feta, but they are okay with taking the feta away, so it was perfect,” Funn said. “I was surprised when I came in to eat, I had no idea it was as big as it is.”

Funn said she has had a hard time finding vegan restaurant options in Ocala, but based on her first experience, she would undoubtedly be back.

Randy Smith and his wife, Julie, stopped in after searching online for a lunch spot.

“I looked up several restaurants. There were a lot of nice places, but this one kind of jumped out,” Randy said.

“I knew it was fairly new, so I thought I’d try it and look through some of the reviews. Everything sounded good, some of the pictures looked fabulous, which is always kind of a selling point.

So, we were driving through and thought we’d stop and see what it was like,” he continued.

“My wife ordered the tomato soup, and I’m trying the Reuben. They all sounded good, the grilled cheese sandwich sounded good. And I was also looking at the steak sandwich. But we haven’t had a good Reuben for quite a while, so I thought I’d try it,” he said.

Live Fire Chefs marked its one-year anniversary of dinner service in early November. The eatery, which opened in May 2024, grew from a catering business born of Patrick’s 25-year culinary career and Jacqueline’s pivot from a hospital job.

“This restaurant started back from a catering business,” Patrick said. “We brought our wood fire grills on site and things like that. That’s kind of where the name live fire came from.”

Jacqueline transitioned from her career as a registered cardiovascular invasive specialist in the medical field to co-found the restaurant.

“What started as a hobby is now our full-time business. For our weddings and what not, we bring fryers and we bring grills, that way if somebody’s wanting a beef tenderloin, it’s not going to be sitting there for an hour and a half,” she said.

Freshness is the cornerstone of how the Cahills cook with passion at Live Fire Chefs, dedicating time to sourcing only the freshest ingredients.

“We even get to the point where we pick up fresh bread every day. So, that’s how picky we are, and sometimes some customers get upset because we run out of salmon. That’s one of our best sellers, but we don’t want to freeze anything. We don’t want to buy frozen salmon. I want to give you something nice,” Jacqueline said.

This dedication to quality, even at the risk of occasionally running out of popular items, underscores their mission to deliver exceptional, fresh dishes to each customer.

Service is equally vital, with Jacqueline ensuring guest satisfaction.

“I am the piece who is going through every table and checking in. I want everybody who comes into this dining room to leave happy and say, ‘Wow, that was amazing,’” Jacqueline said.

The menu at Live Fire Chefs is a love letter to bold, fire-kissed flavors, showcasing Cahill’s mastery of live-fire cooking with dishes that elevate fresh, locally sourced ingredients. On the lunch menu, guests can find vibrant midday delights like a grilled shrimp and avocado bowl that boasts layers of Cajun-grilled shrimp with smashed avocado, roasted corn, poblanos, black beans and mango salsa over garlic jasmine rice with cilantro lime crème. And then there’s the maple pecan crusted salmon that offers a lightly spiced Scottish premium salmon drizzled with Vermont maple syrup reduction, paired with rosemary roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables. For dinner, guests can savor the filet mignon, a 6-oz sterling silver tenderloin char-grilled with cabernet demi glaze and Boursin whipped potatoes. Desserts like the butter toffee cake, topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, add a sweet finish.

As the Cahills reflect on their journey, their unwavering commitment to excellence shines through.

“My passion has been food for 25 years, and it’s just kind of developed since I started out when I was 15,” Patrick shared.

And according to Jacqueline, the duo does not want to be like everybody else.

“We want to make that difference on food because I came to Ocala and there was no place where you can find good food, at least for me, so we put something together where you can get a nice dinner with real potatoes, no frozen vegetables and amazing customer service,” she said.

“I have found some places in Ocala that I love their food, but the customer service is just not there for me. So, that’s basically what we want to be. That’s our goal, to make that difference, not just on your food, but you also get that amazing customer service where customers say, ‘Oh my god, I love her. I’m going to come back and see her. What was your name again? You know, which is so hard to find,’” she continued.

“Come and give us a try,” Jacqueline said.

“Just give us a shot. Drive down to this old plaza and find us,” Patrick added.

With dishes like the Reuben, crafted through 15 rounds of training, and a passion for fresh, live-fired food, Live Fire Chefs is striving to redefine Ocala’s culinary landscape by doing what they love: Cooking fresh food with a flair.

“We just love what we do, and that’s what matters. We love what we do,” Patrick said.

To learn more, go to livefirechefs.com