Kembara

In December 2023, acclaimed Chef Angelo Sosa opened Kembara, his second restaurant at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. Kembara is a reflection of his culinary odyssey traveling, cooking, and tasting across the broad continent of Asia throughout his career, pulling inspiration from Chiang Mai to Hanoi to Tokyo to Penang and beyond. Kembara warmly embraces the rich tapestry of Asian street food culture, exemplifying the tradition of cherishing time-honored recipes and their stories passed down to each generation, while also playfully innovating familiar flavors and techniques. Each dish is constructed around Chef Sosa’s concept of a “trinity of flavors”—a balance between sweet, sour, and salty elements that culminate in a perfect bite of harmony. Notable LA-based designer Thomas Schoos, whose projects also include Tía Carmen (Chef Sosa’s first restaurant at the resort that opened in 2022), created a modern and eclectic space with a vibrant color palette.