Cooking to order (in Italian, cucina espressa) means the dishes are prepared, or at least finished, on site: the pasta is cooked at the moment, the main course is plated at the venue. The alternative is cooking in the caterer's own kitchen, with dishes that arrive ready or to reheat.
The result is closer to a restaurant's, especially for pasta, fried food and hot dishes. In return the kitchen brigade has to work at the venue, and you need an equipped kitchen or a field kitchen, water and power. Show cooking is also a form of cooking to order, done in front of the guests.
What to ask
Ask which dishes are prepared on site and which arrive ready, where the frying happens and how courses are kept at temperature. At home, ask whether your kitchen is enough. The guide on what banqueting is and the one on questions to ask the caterer cover it.
