A Taste of Mentorship: Angelo Sosa and Brandon Jew Join Forces at Kembara

10 Minutes read

13 Mar 2025

Journalist

S.Pellegrino presents an unforgettable evening of mentorship, storytelling, and a fusion of flavors.

On March 14, 2025, Kembara, the acclaimed modern Asian restaurant helmed by Top Chef alum Angelo Sosa, will host the third edition of its Taste of Mentorship dinner series at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort + Spa. This exclusive event, in partnership with S.Pellegrino, brings together renowned chefs and their mentees for a night of collaborative cooking and culinary storytelling.

For this iteration, Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning chef Brandon Jew of Mister Jiu’s in San Francisco will join Sosa in the kitchen, along with their respective mentees, Seth Stowaway and Stephanie Lechuga. Together, they will create an immersive six-course menu that pays homage to their shared philosophy of mentorship and their unique culinary backgrounds.

With a focus on passing down knowledge and fostering the next generation of chefs, the event will also feature a post-dinner panel discussion, giving attendees a rare glimpse into the mentor-mentee dynamic that shapes the industry.

A Dining Series Rooted in Learning

The Taste of Mentorship dinner series was conceived as a way to highlight the importance of mentorship in the culinary world. For Sosa, who trained under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the initiative is a way to give back. “Mentorship is the blueprint for success,” he says. “It’s not just about teaching techniques, but about guiding young chefs and instilling values that will shape their careers.”

Since its launch, the series has welcomed acclaimed chefs and their protégés to Kembara, creating a space for collaboration and dialogue. Jew, who has mentored numerous young chefs, echoes Sosa’s sentiment. “I’ve seen cooks go on to open their own restaurants, and that’s incredibly rewarding,” he says. “As a mentor, you push, but you also nurture—and that balance is everything.”

This unique series is also in line with S.Pellegrino’s commitment to fostering culinary talent, a mission reflected in its Young Chefs Academy and other global initiatives supporting up-and-coming chefs.

The Menu: A Fusion of Tradition and Innovation

The six-course menu is a showcase of bold flavors, drawing inspiration from the chefs’ diverse backgrounds while celebrating Asian cuisine.

Starters

Sea Urchin – Smoked Poblano, Sweet Potato, Almond (Chef Seth Stowaway)
Papaya Salad – Salt & Pepper Pork Belly, Charred Corn, Fish Sauce Vinaigrette (Chef Angelo Sosa)

Main Courses

Suan Cai Yu – Monkfish, Kohlrabi, Salted Chili, Grilled Scallions (Chef Brandon Jew)
Fried Rice – Squid Ink Chorizo, Charred Tentacles, Kimchi, Salted Egg (Chef Stephanie Lechuga)

Centerpiece to Share

Smoked Lamb Saddle & Sausage – Ash-Cooked Rutabaga, Fermented Date (Chefs Seth Stowaway & Brandon Jew)
Xinjiang Style Rabbit Skewers – Green Sichuan, Liang Pi, Tomatillo (Chefs Seth Stowaway & Brandon Jew)

Dessert

Five Spice Donut – Lens Coffee, Condensed Milk (Chef Brittany Reyes)

Each dish reflects the chefs’ personal styles while embracing Kembara’s ethos of discovery. “This menu is an exploration—of flavors, of cultures, and of mentorship itself,” says Sosa.

Beyond the Kitchen: A Conversation on Mentorship

The evening isn’t just about food; it’s about fostering meaningful dialogue. Following the dinner, a panel discussion moderated by S.Pellegrino will explore the mentor-mentee dynamic, featuring insights from Sosa, Jew, and their mentees.

For Jew, the transition from mentee to mentor has been a profound experience. “It’s about problem-solving, about leadership, about how to guide a team,” he says. “Seeing my mentees succeed is just as fulfilling as creating a great dish.”

Sosa agrees. “It’s about lineage. What are we passing down? What impact are we making? These are the conversations we need to have.”

Reserve Your Spot

With only a limited number of seats available, this one-night-only dining experience promises to be an unforgettable celebration of food and mentorship.

📅 Date: Friday, March 14, 2025
📍Location: Kembara, JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort + Spa
💲Price: $140 per person | $85 beverage pairing
🔗Reservations: kembaradesertridge.com

The Chef

Jew is rewriting the playbook on Chinese-American cuisine, balancing tradition with bold innovation. A San Francisco native, Jew’s journey began at UC Irvine, where studying biology sparked a fascination with ecosystems and ingredients—a philosophy that defines his cooking today. His culinary chops were honed abroad in Bologna and Shanghai and refined in Bay Area institutions like Zuni Café and Quince, under icons like Judy Rodgers and Michael Tusk.

In 2016, Jew opened Mister Jiu’s in San Francisco’s historic Chinatown, a modern fine-dining tribute to his heritage and the neighborhood’s legacy. The restaurant, known for its thoughtful approach to Chinese-American cooking, quickly became a culinary landmark, and it made history as the first Chinese restaurant in San Francisco to earn a Michelin star, which it did just six months after opening.

Jiu later opened Moongate Lounge, a cocktail haven launched in 2019, and Mamahuhu, a fast-casual restaurant, opened in 2020.

In 2022, Jew earned the James Beard Award for Best Chef: California, solidifying his influence in the culinary world. With features in outlets like Food & Wine and Architectural Digest, he continues to shape the evolution of Chinese American cuisine with innovation, precision, and deep respect for tradition.

Restaurant

Jew’s debut restaurant, Mister Jiu’s, is a love letter to his heritage and a bold reimagination of Chinese American cuisine. Located in Chinatown’s historic Four Seas building, the Michelin-starred restaurant masterfully blends tradition and innovation, offering dishes like Liberty Farms duck, smoked with tea leaves, and Dungeness crab cheong fun, elevating a classic with Californian seasonality. The restaurant’s name pays homage to Jew’s roots—it reflects the original spelling of his family’s surname, which was altered upon their immigration to the US, making it a deeply personal tribute.

Almost a decade since opening, Mister Jiu’s continues to garner widespread acclaim, from first earning a spot on Bon Appétit’s Hot 10 list in 2017 to recognition in 2023 from The New York Times as one of San Francisco’s top dining destinations.

Above Mister Jiu’s, Moongate Lounge is a cozy, vibrant space that blends elevated mixology with Chinese-inspired flavors. At the same time, his fast-casual eatery, Mamahuhu, celebrates Chinese-American identity with a modern twist on classic comfort foods in dishes like General Tso’s chicken and beef broccoli.

Recipes and dishes

Jew has redefined Chinese American cuisine with a blend of innovation and respect for tradition, earning him a place among San Francisco’s culinary elite. At Mister Jiu’s, his Liberty Farms ‘Peking-style’ whole roast duck is legendary, smoked with tea leaves for a perfectly crisp, golden skin. It’s so popular that the kitchen churns out nearly 100 a week. Other must-try dishes include snapper with sizzling ginger and scallion, smoked Hodo tofu, and squid ink pork dumplings, each a testament to Jew’s artistry and precision.

Jew’s creative spin on classics, like sizzling rice soup, orange chicken wings, and banana black sesame pie, showcases his talent for elevating nostalgic flavors with a modern twist. Many of these recipes—and the stories behind them—are featured in his James Beard Award-winning cookbook, Mister Jiu’s in Chinatown (2022), a love letter to the rich history and culture of San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Beyond the restaurant, Jew’s reach extends to the screen and even the skies. He’s appeared on Mind of a Chef, Ugly Delicious, and The Migrant Kitchen, and collaborated with Alaska Airlines to craft a first-class menu, proving his ability to take Chinese American cuisine to new heights—literally.

13 Mar 2025