How to Throw a Great Super Bowl Party

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Event planner and interior designer Colin Cowie (search), most famous for throwing Oprah's 50th birthday party, spoke to FOX News entertainment reporter Lisa Bernhard from Jacksonville, Fla., where he is preparing a pre-game Super Bowl (search) party for football legends and their wives.

Cowie, known for his simple elegance, thinks the whole idea of planning a Super Bowl bash is to "come up with a formula that keeps you glued to the television screen and not chained to the kitchen stove."

"I think any well-organized party has a well-thought-out bar," he told FOX. "So you don't have to play the host and bartender all day long, this is kind of set up as a self-help bar. I put beautiful, colored glasses out to make it elegant as well."

As for drinks, Cowie serves different types of beers, soft drinks, red wine, white wine, iced tea and even coffee.

"Guests can help themselves at any time. It's easy to do," he said.

Then there's the grub — which, given that it's the Super Bowl, is largely focused on meat.

"To keep the stomach lined I made this wonderful chili, and of course, as with anything, if you start with great ingredients you get a great product. So I worked with the best-quality beef I could find, but I'm serving it like caviar. I have a myriad of different accompaniments here, so you can mix it to your own liking, whether hot, spicy or medium," he said.

For rib lovers, Cowie puts them under the broiler so the sugar in the sauce caramelizes to produce that just-off-the-barbecue look. He then heats them in the oven on a smooth rack.

To serve between courses, Cowie prepares lighter fare: an array of salads on trays with dressing.

"Once again, guests help themselves," he said.

And whatever you do, don't reheat pizza, Cowie warns.

"I buy the pizzas from the pizza store ready to be cooked, and pop them in the oven. We're not ordering pizza," he said.

Finally, he breaks out the champagne, to "drown our sorrows with the losers or celebrate with the winners."

Click in the box near the top of the story to see Cowie's interview with FOX News' Lisa Bernhard.