THE CHEF: Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, who spent time in the kitchens of Jamin in Paris and French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., before opening Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colo., in 2004. He was named one of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chefs for 2005 and was nominated for the James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef award in 2006.

KNOWN FOR: Mr. Mackinnon-Patterson made his name interpreting one of Italy's lesser-known but up-and-coming regional cuisines, the foods of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in northeast Italy. Lidia Bastianich is widely credited with introducing American palettes to this type of cooking when she opened Felidia in New York in 1981. The area draws on Slavic, Croatian, Slovenian and Austrian culinary traditions, with dishes like lamb stew and beef goulash -- not your typical Italian fare. Each summer, Mr. Mackinnon-Patterson and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey, the restaurant's co-owner and wine director, bring their staff of 30 to Friuli for a week of learning about the region's food and wine.

THE MEAL: Two courses of what would be a three-course meal in Friuli: frico -- "the greatest hash brown you've had," says Mr. Mackinnon-Patterson -- and pork scaloppini with diced hard-boiled eggs and horseradish. Serve the scaloppini with roasted chard. For the frico, "you really want to make sure your pan is very hot," he says, "or the frico will melt long before you achieve any color." For dessert, he suggests affogato, a shot of espresso over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

KITCHEN TIP: "Always use the right knife for each task," Mr. Mackinnon-Patterson says. "Having a paring knife, chef's knife and a slicer will help prevent injury. I found out the hard way about eight years ago in France!"