Contrary chap, say, probing food item on a bill? (5,4)
I believe the answer is:
stage name
'item on a bill?' is the definition.
(one may appear on a playbill)
'contrary chap say probing food' is the wordplay.
'contrary' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'chap' becomes 'man' (I've seen this before**).
'say' becomes 'eg'.
'probing' is an insertion indicator (probe can mean to make a hole in).
'food' becomes 'eats' (eats is a kind of food).
'man'+'eg'='maneg'
'maneg' inserted inside 'eats' is 'emanegats'.
'emanegats' reversed gives 'STAGE-NAME'.
(Other definitions for stage name that I've seen before include "fresh identity" , "Player could go by this" , "Lady Gaga, say" , "Actor's pseudonym" .)