THE FIERY CHEF
Based on 8 health inspections, THE FIERY CHEF in OCALA has earned a 2.8/5 food safety rating. Recent inspections show improving food safety practices.
2637 E SILVER SPRING BLVD
Overall Food Safety Rating
★★½☆☆ (2.8/5)
Based on 8 health inspection reports
All Inspection Reports
Inspection Date: 10/29/2025
Inspection #: Visit ID: 13555316
- 03A-02-5:High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. 1. On prep table at cookline: clarified butter (86F - Cold Holding). Chef stated the butter was clarified in-house and has been held at room temperature since the previous day. Stop sale issued. 2. On shelf inside walk-in cooler: white sauce (44F - Cold Holding); marinara (45F - Cold Holding); green beans (45F - Cold Holding). Employee stated the items were in-use appropriately two hours prior and placed back into the cooler to cool. ginger sauce (44F - Cold Holding); marinara (46F - Cold Holding). Employee stated the ginger and marinara have been held inside the cooler overnight without being removed from the cooler today. Stop sale issued. Warning - From follow-up inspection 2025-10-29: 1.) On prep table at cookline: clarified butter 83F. Chef stated butter removed from refrigeration one hour ago. Chef discarded voluntarily. Admin Complaint
- 03G-50-1:Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment is cooking and canning temperature controlled foods without an approved HACCP plan. Inspector consulted the HACCP Plans and Process Waivers Status Report and verified their plan was withdrawn. Warning - From follow-up inspection 2025-10-29: No change. **Time Extended**
Inspection Date: 10/21/2025
Inspection #: Visit ID: 10942718
- 36-37-5:Basic - Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas. Absorbent and porous acoustic ceiling tiles used throughout kitchen.
- 24-13-4:Basic - Clean utensils or equipment stored in a bathroom, locker room or mechanical room. Canning jars stored on shelf inside men's restroom in back of kitchen.
- 14-09-4:Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Cutting board has deep cut marks and is no longer smooth and cleanable in center of kitchen.
- 12B-07-4:Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. 1. Employee drink cup sitting directly on cutting board on refrigerated make-table. Employee removed the drink cup from the area during this inspection. 2. Employee drink stored inside refrigerator door directly above condiments. Manager removed the drinks from the cooler during this inspection. Corrected On-Site
- 40-06-5:Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee keys and vape stored on cutting board at refrigerated make-table. Employee removed both items from the area during this inspection. **Corrective Action Taken**
- 13-04-4:Basic - Employee with no beard and/or hair guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employee working at cookline with beard without bear guard or covering over hair.
- 36-17-5:Basic - Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair. Cracked floor tile inside walk-in cooler.
- 08B-38-4:Basic - Food stored on floor. In walk-in cooler , bag of ice on floor.
- 10-20-4:Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs stored hanging on oven door handle at cookline.
- 10-02-4:Basic - In-use utensil not stored on a clean portion of food preparation or cooking equipment. Visibly soiled sink drain cover stored in contact with ice scoop on side of ice machine. Employee moved both items to the three-compartment sink. **Corrective Action Taken**
- 21-04-4:Basic - In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. Wiping cloth used below cutting board at cookline.
- 23-03-4:Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Wire shelving inside walk-in cooler soiled with dust and/or food debris.
- 25-05-4:Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. Boxes containing single-use containers stored directly on floor near dry storage room.
- 03D-01-5:High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours. On shelf inside walk-in cooler: spinach (101F - Cooling 3 hours). Employee stated the spinach was cooked today at 12pm and placed into the walk-in cooler to cool. Stop sale issued.
- 01B-36-5:High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours and from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within six hours. See stop sale. On shelf inside walk-in cooler: spinach (101F - Cooling 3 hours). Employee stated the spinach was cooked today at 12pm and placed into the walk-in cooler to cool. Stop sale issued.
- 01B-28-5:High Priority - Date marked combined ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days of preparing/opening the earliest ready-to-eat time/temperature for safety ingredient. See stop sale. 1. Zucchini enchilada stuffing with date mark of 10/13 inside reach-in cooler at cookline. 2. Fresh garlic and oil mixture with date mark of 9/10 on shelf inside walk-in cooler. 3. Fresh garlic and oil mixture with date mark of 9/29on shelf inside walk-in cooler. Warning
- 09-01-4:High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Employee at cookline touched fully-cooked chicken tenders with bare hands. Chicken is 192F.
- 08A-05-6:High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. 1. Container of quiche batter with raw eggs stored on shelf above diced tomatoes inside reach-in cooler at cookline. Employee moved the quiche batter to the bottom shelf during this inspection. 2. Pan containing raw bacon stored on rack directly above pan containing fully-cooked pork at cookline. Employee moved the bacon to shelf below cooked pork during this inspection. Corrected On-Site
- 01B-02-5:High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. On prep table at cookline: clarified butter (86F - Cold Holding). Chef stated the butter was clarified in-house and has been held at room temperature since the previous day. ginger sauce (44F - Cold Holding); marinara (46F - Cold Holding). Employee stated the ginger and marinara have been held inside the cooler overnight without being removed from the cooler today. Warning
- 03A-02-5:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. 1. On prep table at cookline: clarified butter (86F - Cold Holding). Chef stated the butter was clarified in-house and has been held at room temperature since the previous day. Stop sale issued. 2. On shelf inside walk-in cooler: white sauce (44F - Cold Holding); marinara (45F - Cold Holding); green beans (45F - Cold Holding). Employee stated the items were in-use appropriately two hours prior and placed back into the cooler to cool. ginger sauce (44F - Cold Holding); marinara (46F - Cold Holding). Employee stated the ginger and marinara have been held inside the cooler overnight without being removed from the cooler today. Stop sale issued. Warning
- 03G-50-1:Intermediate - Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment is cooking and canning temperature controlled foods without an approved HACCP plan. Inspector consulted the HACCP Plans and Process Waivers Status Report and verified their plan was withdrawn. Warning
- 02C-02-5:Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Fresh garlic and oil mixture missing date mark on shelf inside reach-in cooler at cookline. Employee stated it was made two days prior and added the proper date mark during this inspection. Corrected On-Site
Inspection Date: 6/3/2025
Inspection #: Visit ID: 8879999
- 14-11-5:Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Observed: a glass door reach-in cooler with a compromised gasket, in the customer area.
- 35B-01-4:Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Observed: when the back door is fully closed there is a gap at floor level.
- 08B-38-4:Basic - Food stored on floor. Observed: multiple food items store on the floor of the walk-in freezer and dry storage. Repeat Violation
- 31B-04-4:Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. Observed the employees men,s restroom lacks a sign.
- 08B-12-5:Basic - Stored food not covered. Observed: a casserole on the speed rack in the walk-in cooler, 40°, uncovered.
- 11-27-4:Intermediate - Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. Observed: lack of a written procedure.
- 22-02-4:Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed: the interior of the unused ice machine is soiled.
Inspection Date: 9/4/2024
Inspection #: Visit ID: 8779419
- 14-01-5:Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl used to scoop sugar stored in kitchen. Manager discarded bowl during inspection. Corrected On-Site Repeat Violation
- 36-36-4:Basic - Ceiling tile missing. Ceiling tiles over to go coolers.
- 12B-07-4:Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink in reach-in cooler across from dry storage shelf. Employee removed drink from cooler during inspection. Corrected On-Site
- 08B-38-4:Basic - Food stored on floor. Case of chicken stored on walk-in freezer floor. Repeat Violation
- 10-20-4:Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs hanging from cook line oven. Manager removed tongs from oven during inspection. Corrected On-Site
- 10-07-4:Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Spoons stored in crock pot next to cook line oven, 111F. Manager turned crock pot up higher, 138F. Corrected On-Site
- 06-01-5:Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Sandwich meats thawing on rack in kitchen. Employee placed sandwich meats in walk-in cooler to finish thawing. Corrected On-Site
- 12A-25-4:High Priority - Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee touched face and proceeded to handle clean utensils on cook line without washing hands. Inspector stopped employee and had employee wash hands. **Corrective Action Taken** Repeat Violation Admin Complaint
- 08A-05-6:High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Shell eggs stored over Rosato in walk-in cooler. Manager moved eggs to bottom shelf. Corrected On-Site
Inspection Date: 5/3/2024
Inspection #: Visit ID: 8621659
- N/A:No Violations Were Observed
Inspection Date: 2/28/2024
Inspection #: Visit ID: 8618522
- 02B-01-5:Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Peppercorn steak no consumer advisory. Per operator steak cooked (medium-rare), around 140F Online website and onsite item. Warning - From follow-up inspection 2024-02-28: **Time Extended**
Inspection Date: 2/23/2024
Inspection #: Visit ID: 8505092
- 14-01-5:Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl no handle inside rice container.
- 40-06-5:Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee personal items on top of reach-in cooler/prep table, also on shelves next to drinks.
- 08B-38-4:Basic - Food stored on floor. In walk-in freezer waffle case on floor. Repeat Violation
- 16-46-4:Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. Old label residues on cleaned stacked containers.
- 25-05-4:Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. At the hallway, single services boxes on floor.
- 03D-02-5:High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. In walk-in cooler, observed food cooked 02/22/24: chili 55F, cheese sauce no cheese 54F, meatballs 47F, alfredo sauce 49F, piccata 48F, pork gravy 49F, food stored in deep plastic containers Warning
- 01B-36-5:High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours and from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within six hours. See stop sale. In walk-in cooler, observed food cooked 02/22/24: chili 55F, cheese sauce no cheese 54F, meatballs 47F, alfredo sauce 49F, piccata 48F, pork gravy 49F, food stored in deep plastic containers Warning
- 12A-17-4:High Priority - Employee rubbed hands together for less than 10-15 seconds while washing hands. Male employee sneeze and cover his mouth with hands, went to sink and washed hands less than 10 seconds and dry hands with white towel that was hanging from his apron, after that employee grab cleaned container and move it to cook line and returned back to hand sink and washed his hands properly. Corrected On-Site
- 01B-24-5:High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Reach-in cooler at the cook line: spinach mixed date marked 2/16/24: roasted garlic date marked 2/15/24, black beans 2/12/24.
- 01B-02-5:High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Reach-in cooler at the prep area, lettuce stored overnight above filling line 48-51F.
- 03A-02-5:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler at the prep area, lettuce stored overnight above filling line 48-51F.
- 03D-15-4:Intermediate - Food being cooled by nonapproved method as evidenced by inadequate rate of cooling during time of inspection. In walk-in cooler observed multiple food containers (5 gallon plastic buckets used to performed cooling process and stored food, also plastic bins covered when cooling process was performed.
- 02B-01-5:Intermediate - Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Peppercorn steak no consumer advisory. Per operator steak cooked (medium-rare), around 140F Online website and onsite item. Warning
- 02C-02-5:Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Reach-in cooler at the prep area, cut tomatoes no date marked, per employee tomatoes cut 2/20/24. Repeat Violation
Inspection Date: 9/20/2023
Inspection #: Visit ID: 8378184
- 08B-49-4:Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Reach-in cooler near prep area, personal food above customers, manager discarded. Corrected On-Site
- 08B-38-4:Basic - Food stored on floor. Corrected On-Site Repeat Violation
- 10-20-4:Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. On oven handle at the cook line, manager moved. Corrected On-Site
- 25-05-4:Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. To go containers, napkins and aluminum pans and lids stored in men's bathroom. Repeat Violation
- 02C-02-5:Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Reach-in cooler near storage shelf, grilled peppers and onions no date marked, manager dated. Corrected On-Site