Acclaimed chef Angelo Sosa is renowned for his bold cooking rooted in Asian flavors and techniques, bringing over 25 years of experience that has taken him from three-star kitchens in Europe to street food stalls in Thailand. Raised in a Dominican/Italian family in Durham, CT, Angelo was drawn to food early on in his childhood, influenced in two different ways by two central figures in his life: his father taught him the importance of being detail-oriented and disciplined in the craft; and his Tía (Aunt) Carmen showed him the sensory pleasures of cooking, and taught him how food can express love and comfort, and even have the power to transform people. A protege of Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Angelo has worked with some of the industry’s most renowned restaurateurs, including Alain Ducasse, Stephen Starr and Masaharu Morimoto, serving as a senior or consulting chef for diverse restaurants including Jean-Georges, Spice Market, Buddakan, and Morimoto NYC. In 2009, he opened his first restaurant Xie Xie, a fast-casual Asian concept, quickly earning StarChefs’ New York’s Rising Star award for “Best New Restaurant Concept.” In 2010, Angelo competed on season 7 of Bravo’s hit show, Top Chef, and later Top Chef All-Stars, quickly becoming a fan favorite. He then opened the Michelin-recommended Añejo Tequilaria y Restaurante in NYC, and Death by Tequila in Encinitas, CA, which was named “Best New Restaurant” by San Diego Magazine. Most recently, Angelo teamed up with seasoned restaurant developer Mark Stone to open two new projects at the the luxury property JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort + Spa: Tía Carmen, an homage to his aunt that also celebrates the local landscape, farmers and community of the Southwest reflecting a mix of tradition and modernity; and Kembara, inspired by Asia’s street food culture that reflects Angelo’s personal journey cooking, traveling and tasting through the broad continent, with nods to the culinary palates of places like Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Tokyo, Penang and more. Both concepts offer Angelo’s fresh interpretation of these beloved recipes and stories through his years of traveling and tasting, while simultaneously honoring the lineage and legacies of generational dishes.