IFC’s ‘Food Party’

Tran’s show combines dadaist elements with anything-goes, art project flights of imagination and low-fi cable sensibilities.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Peter Van Hyning plays the stepmother as Thu Tran sweeps up the kitchen in a scene from “Food Party.”  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Finding props on the set of “Food Party” is easy as shooting fish in a barrel.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Peter Van reclines as the stepmother, left, with Elias Holtz as the servant and Thu Tran in a “Food Party” episode.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Your typical cooking show recipes won’t pop up on “Food Party.” Exhibit A, shown here: Shi’so Evil Sister meat rolls, served over vermicelli. Serving suggestion: Feed the spring rolls, made out of evil stepsister, to stepmother to make her choke. Ingredients include sister foot meat (marinated in ginger, soy and sugar), with the entire dish then doused in fresh sister fish sauce -- then topped with a sister bow garnish.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Peter Van (the stepmother), Elias Holtz (the servant) and Thu Tran film a scene.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

The IFC show runs wild with imaginary dishes and off-the-wall sets and characters.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)