Steal My Party: 'Top Chef' Spin-Off

Michelle Phillips opens the door to her visitors with a look of severe gravity. She clears her throat. "Thank you for coming tonight, but before entering this establishment, I must first warn you that you will pass through a "danger zone."

Guests fret about their lack of bullet-proof clothing.

"In this zone, it is quite possible that you may look to the left and see the two chefs at work. I must ask that you not become tempted. Please focus your attention to the wall on the right until you reach the living room, at which point you may then enjoy the event."

It's clear this dinner party is no casual potluck. Phillips is hosting Food Fight, one of a series of "Top Chef"-ish parties developed this past spring by a group of five food TV aficionados.

The specs: Two chefs are chosen out of a hat at the prior challenge. Two days before the party, they're given a secret ingredient to incorporate into three courses.

Confidentiality is treated with the utmost seriousness: "I wanted to call them using one of those voice disguisers," says Ken Cornwell, a writer/producer. "I didn't have one, so I just talked in a low, creepy voice."

Guests cannot know who cooked what as they sample and judge the dishes, using pre-printed ballots to grade each offering on taste, appearance and originality. The winner receives a trophy — a pair of rusty tongs — and is tasked with selecting the next secret ingredient.

Cornwell chose coffee for his event: "I wanted something versatile, so you could use it in a sauce, in a dessert." The fourth party's featured foodstuff was chili peppers; oranges were another past choice.

To complicate matters, the recipes need to be at least semi-original. Competitor Genevieve Croteau, a director of television development, scoured Web sites such as Food Network and Epicurious to create her menu, a merging of recipes she found on both sites. "I started with the Internet to brainstorm ideas," she says, "then put my own spin on things."

Once the cooking commences, courses don't necessarily arrive in a timely manner. "Make sure there's plenty of wine for the wait," says Phillips. If wine doesn't quell impatience, try to distract them with an impeccably placed display: "A beautiful centerpiece incorporating the secret ingredient goes a long way." She provided an arrangement of flowers, coffee beans and candles.

Disasters are inevitable — a smoke detector going off, unexpected ingredient crises. "I had to lose the sun-dried tomatoes," admits contestant Katie Wilson, a project manager at WETA. "I pulled them out of the oven and they looked like bits of charcoal."

While the votes are being tallied, guests chat about their favorite dishes. Popular courses have included pancakes with Asian dipping sauce and a coffee-Kahlua surprise with a shot of mint ice cream. Food Fight cooks can get quite creative — one chef's complex concoction was cayenne pepper chocolate mouse with a Rice Krispies Treat spoon covered with chili-pepper chocolate bark.

The final ceremony is a handoff of the rusty tongs, now on display in winner Wilson's kitchen. She plans to give them the same artistic touch as she did her culinary creations: "I want to either bedazzle them or paint them in gold. I think they need a little bling."

By Robyn Mincher
Photos by Holly Morris/Express