A smashburger and milkshake pop-up opens Tuesday, July 14, at VEA Newport Beach's poolside EDGE Bar, and it's open to the public. Celebrity chef Angelo Sosa, the "Top Chef" Season 7 runner-up, will run his BESO Burger concept at the resort through Wednesday, Sept. 30, according to the Orange County Business Journal.

The name carries personal weight.

Sosa, born in Connecticut to a Dominican father and Italian mother, told reporters the concept traces back to his childhood and his Tía Carmen.

"I was that nine-year-old boy that my Tía Carmen would always say, 'Papi, come here and give me a besito,' or a little kiss," Sosa said. "She really showed me that food created from the purest place could transform anything."

The menu features smashburgers and fries-topped milkshakes. Sosa, whose credits include the Michelin-recommended Añejo in Manhattan and Death by Tequila in Encinitas, first launched BESO Burger in San Diego in May. VEA Newport Beach is his second location.

Beyond the burgers, a few dishes from Sosa's Taqueria Amada concept will appear at VEA's VIEW Restaurant & Lounge in August.

The pop-up is part of a broader summer push at the resort, located at 900 Newport Center Drive near Fashion Island. VEA, formerly the Newport Beach Marriott, also launched a collaboration with Chicago's The Second City improv troupe in June. Its sunset concert series continues with shows open to the community through August.

This marks the resort's first culinary partnership, per OCBJ reporting.