A MAN ON FIRE

Even if you’ve never met Loring Felix, chances are you’ve probably heard of him. Chef Felix has been preparing delicious meals in Ocala for decades as chef and/or owner of some of Ocala’s most popular restaurants.

// BY KARIN FABRY-CUSHENBERY

“I don’t quit,” Chef Felix says. “I try to change with the times and continue to learn and grow.” His earliest food lessons came when he was just a kid and was responsible for preparing meals for his younger siblings while his mom worked as a nurse.

“They would be like ‘we’re having this again?,’” jokes Chef Felix, “so I started to make di erent stu . A lot of that stu wasn’t great, but it was di erent.”

His first official job in the kitchen came at age 15 when he went to work for Long John Silver’s on Silver Springs Boulevard. He recalls “I LEARNED TO MAKE SOUPS, SAUCES AND GRAVIES IN HEALTHY WAYS BUT TO that the restaurant TASTE THE WAY I WANT wasn’t even built THEM TO. YOU SHOULDN’T yet. The interview was conducted at BE ABLE TO TELL THAT A including his famous a desk in a field DISH IS HEALTHY BY THE soups. The chef and with construction his carefully selected equipment behind it. WAY IT TASTES. staff prepare 700 to Chef Felix has been - CHEF LORING FELIX 800 meals a week cooking ever since. now. There are seven

Recently, though, Chef Felix’s outlook on categories of food to choose from, including food has changed. Today he’s going for fresh, classics, keto, paleo, low fat and more. Each healthy and convenient. meal category offers five protein choices per

“I’ve been doing prepared meals for three week, including options like maple-glazed years now, but it took a year or so to do the chicken or shrimp scampi. research on various diets. I learned to make “The proteins may be the same in each soups, sauces and gravies in healthy ways but category, but the prep work, sides and sauces to taste the way I want them to. You shouldn’t change to cater to the individual diets,” Chef be able to tell that a dish is healthy by the way Felix says. it tastes.” Although subscriptions are available, a la

Chef Felix’s The Fiery Chef storefront in carte items are also popular. Some tried-andthe Hillside Center on East Silver Springs true favorites include braised beef short ribs, Boulevard offers patrons a great selection of Swedish meatballs and the pecan-crusted fresh, pressure canned and frozen selections, salmon. The Chef keeps roughly 150 fresh

meals stocked in the store each week, plus sauces, desserts and more, and guests are invited to peruse the shelves at his store.

“I can’t keep the vodka sauce in stock when we have it,” he says. “It’s a plum tomato cream sauce with crushed red pepper, basil, onion and prosciutto. We also offer bone broths, dressings, chutneys and more.”

Chef Felix also offers full-service catering. And at a time when many are trying to recoup their COVID losses by over-charging, Chef Felix is doing the opposite—matching or beating anyone’s prices just to show you what he can do.

“Once I feed you, I’ve got you,” he says with a smile.

The Fiery Chef // 2637 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala // the erychef.com // (352) 512-1845

EL TOREO

Two Locations: 3790 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala // (352) 694-1401 // Mon-Sun 11am-10pm // 3510 SW 36th Ave. (SR 200), Ocala // (352) 291-2121 // Mon-Sun 11am-11pm Head to El Toreo for the best Mexican food this side of the border! Enjoy all of your favorite traditional Mexican dishes in a friendly and festive atmosphere. On Sundays, children’s meals are $1.95. Lunch specials: $5.45 Taco Salad Mondays, $5.45 Speedy Gonzalez Tuesdays, $7.95 Quesadillas Wednesdays, $6.95 Chimichangas Thursdays and $5.95 Burrito Supremes Fridays. Dinner specials: $10.95 Fajitas Mondays, $8.95 Chimichangas Tuesdays, $9.95 Alambre Wednesdays and $9.95 Tacos de Bistec Thursdays. Margarita specials: $1.95 margarita Mondays, 99 cent margarita Wednesdays and 2-4-1 margarita Saturdays.

MARK’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE & SEAFOOD

30 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala // (352) 402-0097 // 201 SE 2nd Ave., Gainesville // (352) 336-0077 // marksprimesteakhouse.com // Mon 5-9pm // Tue-Sat 5-10pm // Sun available for private parties Mark’s Prime wants to create a sophisticated and unique dining experience that will please the palate and soothe the soul. Mark’s Prime serves only the finest beef, freshest seafood, premium wines and a diverse stock of bourbons and scotch. Visit Mark’s Prime during Primetime Happy Hour and get great drink and appetizer specials Monday-Friday from 5-7pm. Ready to celebrate the holidays? Through the end of the year,

purchase $100 in gift cards in person or online and receive a free $25 gift card. It’s the gift everyone will want!

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