ReFED Receives 2026 Impact Award from the James Beard Foundation

THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION® ANNOUNCES THE 2026 RESTAURANT AND CHEF AWARD NOMINEES AND IMPACT, HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR, AND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD HONOREES

NEW YORK (March 31, 2026) – The James Beard Foundation® announced today its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees, as well as this year’s Achievement Award honorees (Impact, Humanitarian of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement), in advance of the James Beard Awards® ceremonies presented by Capital One. Considered the pinnacle of culinary recognition in the US and among the country's most prestigious honors, the James Beard Awards celebrate exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to creating a culture where all can thrive. The full list of nominees and honorees is below and on the James Beard Foundation website.

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“Congratulations to all! As we mark 40 years of the James Beard Foundation, we're reminded of just how vital it is to celebrate and champion the people driving American food culture forward,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. “From the industry professionals defining our dining landscape to the advocates shaping our food system, their work is a testament to the talent, leadership, and care that make food such a powerful force in our lives. Thanks to our partners at Choose Chicago, we are equally thrilled to continue celebrating the Awards in the great city of Chicago for another two years.”

For nearly four decades, the James Beard Awards® have shaped how excellence is recognized and understood in American food culture and continue to be the industry’s benchmark. Across programs, the Awards continue to grow and evolve—broadening representation of the regions, cuisines, dining styles, and communities of our culinary landscape. As a marker of distinction, the Awards serve as a trusted guide for diners, a respected honor among professionals, and a platform for advancing the James Beard Foundation’s mission to champion a thriving independent restaurant industry.

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Achievement Awards:

The James Beard Awards® consist of three achievement awards: The Humanitarian of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards administered by the Awards Committee, and the Impact Awards, administered by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees Impact Committee.

The Impact Awards is a newer program as of 2025, born out of the James Beard Foundation’s impact work and advocacy policy priorities, and building on the previous Leadership Awards that were retired in 2024. The Impact Awards program recognizes changemakers actively working to push for standards that create a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system for producers, workers, and consumers alike.

The Impact Awards are administered by the Impact Committee of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and reflect the year’s programmatic priorities. Honorees are nominated by an expert Impact Awards Advisory Council and through a public open call, with final selections made by the committee. Honorees will be acknowledged at a luncheon awards ceremony in Chicago on Sunday, June 14, as well as on stage at the Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The 2026 Impact Award honorees are:

• ReFED is a nonprofit field catalyst building a movement to solve food waste and create a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food system. Implementing the data-driven solutions ReFED has modeled 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, not only improving the bottom line, but engaging and empowering staff, strengthening workplace culture, and allowing workers to participate in meaningful change. As a field catalyst, ReFED has unlocked more than $215M through its unique suite of programs, including the Catalytic Grant Fund that supports scalable solutions to food waste.

Additional recipients of a 2026 Impact Award are:

• Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)

• Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation

• Senator Ben Ray Luján

• Southern Smoke Foundation