One by one, gloved hands, some tentative, poked a round of freshly kneaded focaccia dough. They were encouraged to poke more dents into the round, to see, feel and learn by example.

Two guest chefs, Francis Ford Coppola Winery head chef Tim Bodell and Italian chef Tomasso Lacanfora, who works at an Italian hotel also owned by Francis Ford Coppola, visited the ROP Culinary Arts class on Feb. 24 to demonstrate Italian cooking. Students watched Lacanfora prepare focaccia dough and were also able to sample some of the foccacia that he prepared previously.

“I have been chef for 23 years, so I have lots of friends and colleagues that I have made a connection with over the years,” said director of nutrition and executive chef M’Lisa Kelley. “I ask people to come that not only do I think that they will raise the bar of my class, but they will also impart some of the nutritional values that are important in this arena. “

Kelley, who teaches the ROP culinary arts class, wanted her students to see and value the traditional, simple cooking that is done by both Bodell and Lacanfora. Students asked questions about the chefs’ careers and techniques, as well as learning the process of making the foccacia itself.

“I didn’t know that they were going to teach us the recipe in the kitchen, which was exciting,” senior Yasaman Ford said. “We talked a lot about traditional food in Italy and how simple is better.”

Kelley also wished to emphasize the importance of locality in making food to her students through this presentation.

Before the common grocery store, seasonality and self-sufficiency was a large factor in determining what people ate, Bodell said. However, he also said the best food comes from tradition and the people who had the least to work with.

The guest chefs also spoke about their paths to becoming chefs. Bodell recalled working at his first restaurant, where he first realized that one of his passions, cooking, could be a career. On the other hand, Lacanfora recalled that he had worked on his family’s farm, and finding that difficult, found cooking as a better alternative.

“It is really important for people to talk about food,” Kelley said. “To come around the table and take the time to sit down with each other and share a meal.”