This Rock Legend Just Won a Prestigious Food Award

Jon Bon Jovi just won a prestigious award — and it has nothing to do with music.

The "You Give Love a Bad Name" singer won the 2026 James Beard Impact Award for his philanthropy work with the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation and his nonprofit restaurant, JBJ Soul Kitchen.

"Since 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has worked to break the cycle of hunger, poverty, and homelessness," the James Beard Foundation wrote in a statement announcing the honorees, noting that the foundation has built housing for thousands of people in need.

The singer and his wife, Dorothea Bongiovi, have also operated JBJ Soul Kitchen since 2011. With four locations in New Jersey, the "community restaurant" offers donation-based meals to families and individuals, along with a Pay-It-Forward program where patrons can make an additional donation to subsidize food for a neighbor in need. The restaurants serve up full three-course meals, with a soup or salad, an entree, and a dessert.

"JBJ Soul Kitchen offers more than just a meal," the James Beard Foundation wrote, "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."

In the food and drink world, a James Beard Award is the highest honor you can get. The Impact Award is new, introduced only last year. The "Livin' on a Prayer" singer will be recognized along with this year's other honorees at a ceremony in Chicago on June 14, as well as at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony the next day.

Other Impact Award honorees include the Coatlition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, ReFED, and the Southern Smoke Foundation. No Us Without You, an organization in Los Angeles, has won the Humanitarian of the Year Award.