Cahill will have fond memories when his former club visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but is fully prepared to dispose of the niceties for an hour and a half, as he looks to help the Premier League leaders to a fifth win out of six.
The centre-back told Chelsea's official website, "I had a great time at Villa, more than anything with the youth team.
"I owe a lot to them, they brought me through and I had a great time, so I'm looking forward to it.
"They've had a great start to the season, apart from their last result (a 3-0 defeat by Arsenal), so it's going to be another tough test for us."
Cahill has formed a formidable partnership with John Terry at the back of the Chelsea defence which conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League last season. With club captain Terry approaching 34 however, Cahill may have to begin to expect a new defensive partner in the not-too-distant future, with 19-year-old Kurt Zouma expected to replace the former England skipper in time.
Cahill joined Chelsea in 2012 and won the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup double in the same season, before winning the UEFA Europa League in the next.
In that time, he has established himself as an England international and is a vital role in Roy Hodgson's set-up. Despite missing the Euro 2012 campaign through injury, the 28-year-old played every minute at the World Cup for the Three Lions this summer. Cahill's consistent performing at the back was one of the few highlights for English supporters during a poor tournament.
The centre-back began his career with Aston Villa back in 2004, spending four years in the midlands, before joining Bolton Wanderers. There, he developed into a strong young talent, becoming a first-team regular in 2009 and going on to appear 130 times for the Trotters, while notching up an impressive 13 goals.
Andre Villas-Boas brought Cahill to Chelsea in January 2012 for a cut-price of £7m from a struggling Bolton, who would eventually succumb to relegation in the ensuing summer. Since then, the Sheffield-born defender has matured and improved dramatically as a player and is now a true fan-favourite in SW6, renowned for his last-ditch tackles and aerial ability.