Photo courtesy of Max Flatow  for The James Beard Foundation

The James Beard Foundation celebrated the five honorees of the 2026 James Beard Impact Awards at a luncheon at The Dalcy in Chicago on Sunday, June 14. Chef, author, activist, and James Beard Leadership Award Winner Sean Sherman hosted the event. These change-makers are building a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system. Honorees are implementing advocacy, innovation, and direct community support for producers, workers, and consumers alike.

The ceremony highlighted chefs committed to a thoughtful and sustainable future for food. The gathering featured a multi-course menu from James Beard Awards Semifinalist and JBF Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Advocacy alum David Viana. He collaborated with CJ Jacobson of Aba (Chicago, IL; Austin, TX; Nashville, TN) and Ēma (Chicago, IL, Glenview, IL, Austin, TX) and Eric Santoyo of Aba and The Dalcy (Chicago, IL).

“We are thrilled to celebrate the 2026 Impact Award honorees! Five visionary leaders who recognize that food has the power to transform lives, not only at the table, but across our health, communities, economy, and planet,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO, JBF.

The Awards

The James Beard Awards contain three Achievement Awards: The Lifetime Achievement Award, Humanitarian of the Year Award and the Impact Awards. The Impact Awards, created in 2025, reflect JBF’s impact work and advocacy policy priorities.

The Award nominees are elected through public open calls, the Impact Awards Advisory Council, and the Foundation’s trustees and chosen by the Impact Committee.

The 2026 Impact Award honorees are:

Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), founded in 1986, is one of the largest and most effective Californian organizations for immigrant rights. For 40 years, CHIRLA has focused on directly impacted communities, and coalitions around local, state, and national campaigns to advance justice for all immigrants. Today, CHIRLA serves over 450,000 immigrants annually through its programs and services. CHIRLA also provides legal resources such as citizenship and DACA services to support low-income immigrant workers and families.

“CHIRLA is deeply honored and humbled to receive the Impact Award from the James Beard Foundation. This recognition affirms the values that guide our work every day. We believe that every person deserves dignity, opportunity, and the chance to thrive, regardless of the country they come from or the language they speak. It encourages us to continue advocating for a more just, humane, and equitable world where dreams are not limited by immigration status or background. We value our partnership with the JBF and salute its ongoing service to our nation, its commitment to equity, and its leadership in uplifting the people and communities who enrich our collective future,” stated Angelica Salas, Executive Director (CHIRLA).

Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation

Since 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has worked to break the cycle of hunger, poverty, and homelessness. The JBJ Soul Foundation has provided support for almost 1,000 units of affordable and supportive housing across 12 states. In 2011, Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea Bongiovi, expanded their mission by founding JBJ Soul Kitchen. The nonprofit, pay-it-forward restaurant has now served over 234,000 healthy, three-course meals across its four New Jersey locations. JBJ Soul Kitchen offers more than just a meal—it fosters meaningful connections with guests through community outreach including job training, resume support, employment assistance, partnerships with local mental health providers, and access to housing resources.

“We are honored and humbled to be recognized by the James Beard Foundation with this Impact Award. JBJ salutes all our fellow recipients as well as all of those who work in the culinary industry. We are grateful for this recognition, but the true reward is the work,” said Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi.

Senator Ben Ray Luján

Senator Ben Ray Luján is a ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition. He furthers the belief that in a country with the abundance of the United States, hunger is a policy decision. Senator Luján has fought to protect and strengthen SNAP—the most effective anti-hunger program in the nation. He has also fought to ensure that the producers who make up our agricultural sector and the farmworkers, grocery-store workers, packers, shippers, and processors who ensure our food system operates have the resources and support they need to thrive. Senator Luján commits himself to tackling climate change and protecting New Mexico’s land, water, and air.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Impact Award from the JBF, and I am grateful for the work they do for our communities,” said U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico. “My work to protect and improve federal nutrition programs is driven by the advocates back home in New Mexico who fight hunger in our communities every day. To these advocates in New Mexico and across the country, thank you for informing and strengthening my work in Congress. In a country as abundant as the United States, allowing our neighbors to go hungry is a policy choice, not an inevitability. I look forward to continuing this fight and working to ensure that no family in America goes hungry.”

ReFED

ReFED is a nonprofit starting a movement to solve food waste and create a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food system. Using the ReFED data-driven solutions has the potential to unlock nearly $60 billion in net financial benefit while diverting 20 million tons of food from going to waste every year. ReFED’s comprehensive Insights Engine helps restaurant and foodservice operators identify and solve their food waste footprint. ReFED is improving the bottom line, engaging and empowering staff, strengthening workplace culture, and allowing workers to participate in meaningful change. ReFED has collected more than $215M through its unique suite of programs.

“Chefs and restaurants set the tone of our food culture—they are the sexy megaphone we need to educate and motivate consumers to reduce food waste,” says Dana Gunders, president of ReFED. “We’re so honored by this award because it shows that this high-impact community is eager to collaborate on a problem that in many ways has always been core to the culinary world.”

Southern Smoke Foundation

James Beard Award–winning chef Chris Shepherd and executive director Lindsey Brown founded Southern Smoke Foundation in 2017. They provides access to no-cost mental health services through the program, Behind You, and emergency relief funding to food and beverage (F&B) workers nationwide. This includes restaurant, bar, and cafe workers; farmers and ranchers; and anyone in the industry faced with financial hardship because of an unforeseen incident. Southern Smoke Foundation has granted  more than $16 million to F&B workers nationwide and provided access to 10,000+ no-cost counseling sessions to F and B workers.

“It’s an honor to be recognized alongside these incredible nonprofits that inspire us,” said Lindsey Brown, executive director of Southern Smoke Foundation. “Our team is dedicated to providing a safety net for the food and beverage industry via our Emergency Relief Fund and Behind You mental health program, and creating a healthier, more sustainable foundation for the amazing folks who feed and care for us daily.”