Tyler Florence and His Masters of Fire
This SOBEWFF star is smokin' hot
Tyler Florence has done it all. Thirty years on television. Seventeen cookbooks. Restaurants that keep stacking awards. But when he talks about what’s bringing him back to Miami, the energy is unmistakable. This year at South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Florence is taking his Masters of Fire Festival to the sand for what he calls the prime time slot. Picture the Formula One of live fire cooking with Michelin level talent, pit bosses, music, and thousands of people on the beach.
Name: Tyler Florence.
Title: Chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and Food Network host.
The big event of SOBEWFF: Masters of Fire Festival at South Beach Wine and Food Festival.
Why should we be excited about Masters of Fire?: Masters of Fire is a barbecue festival we’ve been cooking up for the last three and a half years. We do two or three of them a summer. It’s the Formula One of live fire cooking. It’s not just pit bosses and brisket. It’s Michelin chefs and pit masters all coming together to celebrate live fire cooking. It’s so much more than barbecue. It’s an experience like no other.
What makes this year different?: We did a test run last year at Jungle Island and it was a sellout. Everyone loved it. Now we’ve got the opportunity to bring it to the prime time slot on Saturday night, right on the beach. This is as big as it gets.
How many chefs are competing and what is at stake?: Twenty five of the area’s best live fire chefs are going head to head for a $5,000 cash prize, a trophy, and the title of Masters of Fire South Beach 2026.
Who have you recruited to compete?: Victor Al Guso from Electric Bowl. Sean Brassel from Meat Market. Billy Durney from Hometown Barbecue Miami. Tim Love. And more of the best live fire chefs around.
What else can guests expect?: DJ Danny Stern will be spinning an epic soundtrack. Tickets include tokens so guests can taste and vote, too. It’s interactive which makes the competition so fun.
What are you most excited about at the festival besides your own event: Seeing my colleagues. There are only a couple places where you get a chance to reconnect with chefs you’ve known for years. Aspen is one. These festivals are another. It’s where connections solidify, and you also get to meet chefs on the come up.
I am also looking forward to: The Oyster Bash on Friday hosted by Mark Murphy at the Fontainebleau. I’m also doing a dinner Sunday with Soho House. The demo stage is going to be fire if you love watching live cooking step by step.
My nickname is: People call me Ty Flow.
Childhood leftover memory: Meatloaf sandwiches the next day. White bread, extra mayonnaise, a thick slab of tomato, iceberg lettuce, raw onion, and the leftover meatloaf. It’s amazing.
Favorite restaurant to take leftovers home from (other than your own): Miller and Lux in San Francisco. It’s an award winning steakhouse in the Chase Center and we’ve been named Best Steakhouse in the Bay Area three years in a row. It’s also our fourth year in the Michelin Guide. The doggy bag bone from a dry aged rib eye is a favorite at home too.
My last meal would be: Soul food! Golden crispy fried chicken with slow braised cabbage, macaroni and cheese, fried okra, and collards.
What music is playing in your kitchen: I’m a kid of the eighties. I love post punk and new wave British music like Joy Division and The Cure. LCD Soundsystem gets close to that same funky joy. And depending on the day, I can bounce from hardcore hip hop to jazz.
What would people be most surprised to know about you: What you see is what you get. I’ve been on television for 30 years, written 17 cookbooks, and I genuinely love hospitality. The guy you see on TV is the same guy you’ll bump into in Miami.
What are your go to spots in Miami: La Sandwicherie, Sunny’s, and there are many authentic Spanish restaurants I appreciate. Michael’s Genuine is always a must; after all, he’s the undisputed king of Miami. Soho House is also a favorite, especially brunch. The Fontainebleau and The Surf Club, too - so my list is not limited.
Most overrated culinary trend: The multi-course digestation dinner experience where everything feels like a carbon copy of a carbon copy. Too many chefs chase trends instead of carving out something original.
My favorite thing to cook at home: Salads with a lot of protein. Chickpeas in the air fryer with nutritional yeast. Mixed greens. Cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, herbs, and chicken that I brine and freeze so dinner is easy.
My advice for aspiring chefs: Be acutely aware if your food is commercially competitive. Focus on what makes you different and interesting in the marketplace. Stop hiding behind a flag and embrace your own story. Be original.
What would you be doing if you were not a chef: I’d be in the business world. Possibly finance. Possibly politics.
Favorite city to visit for food: Paris. Also Rome, Florence, New York, and Miami is one of the few cities where I could open a restaurant and be very happy.
Masters of Fire is on Saturday evening and alongside Chefs Adrianna Calvin, Sean Brasel, Billy Durney and Chris Lilly, it should not be missed. Tickets start at 189 and you can purchase them HERE.