LUMBERTON — Robeson Community College students were schooled Thursday in the kitchen by an award-winning chef and food stylist.

Chef Chris Aquilino, a chef and Alto-Shaam brand ambassador, showed students and instructors in the Culinary Arts Department Thursday how to operate new equipment the department received at the end of summer.

Aquilino is a photographer, chef and consultant who serves on national culinary advisory boards, according to his website. He also has worked alongside multiple celebrity chefs including Norman Van Aken, Elizabeth Faulkner, Aarti Sequeria and Jet Tila.

During the Thursday session, Aquilino told students and Culinary Arts faculty how to operate two smokers and two ovens the college purchased for a little more than $45,000.

“This is an example of Robeson Community College’s dedication to training and new technology for our program areas,” said Chef Lester Locklear, RCC’s Culinary Arts program director. “This new equipment will help prepare our students for the real world.”

A single smoker has the capacity to hold about 40 Boston butts, Locklear said.

In addition, one oven, called a vector oven, can cook food on each of its four racks at different temperatures, Aquilino said. The oven cooks about 30% faster than a regular oven.

“You guys are going to absolutely love this,” Aquilino said of the vector oven.

The other oven, called a combination oven or “combi oven,” can even steam food while it cooks. Each oven is equipped with USB ports that chefs can use to update technology on the devices and even add recipes. Ovens connected to Wi-fi also can access Chef Link, an online recipe software.

Culinary student Latoya McNeill could be seen working with RCC Chef James Ingram to type recipes into the vector oven Thursday.

Culinary student Hannah Hopkins seasoned shrimp during the demonstration. Also on Thursday, Kelly McPhatter, another culinary student, could be seen pulling apart ribs.

McPhatter hopes to one day own his own restaurant or food truck business. He said the new equipment is seen in high-end restaurants and can give students the experience needed to thrive in those kitchen environments.

“The equipment we’re using now, it’s in limited places,” he said.

Culinary student Sharon Williams also shared excitement about the equipment. She hopes to take what she learns from the program and open a catering business or food truck.

“I’m excited for the students,” said RCC Chef Linsie Locklear. “It’s gonna be a learning opportunity for us and we love new technology.”

Aquilino told The Robesonian that the equipment is a small glimpse into the future of the culinary world. The use of technology like the ovens can be used in environments from fast food to fine dining and does not rely on a large workforce to operate it. It also takes the “guesswork” out of cooking.

“So, their (student’s) ability to interface with technology, but also have a, you know, very broad baseline of food preparation, safety procedures and techniques is going to be paramount,” Aquilino said.

He also said kitchen vent hoods will become obsolete as the ovens and new technology catch on, because there no longer be a need for the exhaust system.

“The investment on the side of equipment is pretty high,” Aquilino said. “This is a — a great investment in the future of this program. They have the latest in this technology.”