Restaurant Industry Celebrates Visionary Leaders Opening Doors to Opportunity for All

Four individuals recognized for their commitment to people and community at the 2026 Restaurants Advance Leadership Awards

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuesday evening in Washington, D.C., the restaurant industry celebrated its visionary leaders building opportunity for all. The 2026 Restaurants Advance Leadership Awards honored four standout individuals whose work is opening doors, developing careers, and strengthening the communities they serve.

Hosted by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and sponsored by American Express, Ecolab, PepsiCo, and the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, the annual awards celebrate the leaders who make restaurants America's training ground and a career catalyst for millions. This year's honorees were recognized for creating career pathways for people of every background, investing in their local communities, and turning their own journeys into opportunity for others. The evening closed with a tribute to a leader whose lifetime of service has left an indelible mark on the industry.

Their impact will continue to reach beyond the evening. The Foundation has named a $2,500 scholarship in honor of each winner, which will help support a student pursuing a post-secondary degree in restaurant and foodservice. Watch the full 2026 Restaurants Advance Leadership Awards here. 

"Restaurants are built on the strength of the people who lead them. These individuals are creating pathways to industry careers, opening doors, and finding new ways to make a difference in their communities," said Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. "This year's Restaurants Advance Leadership Award honorees demonstrate that the true measure of leadership is not simply what you achieve, but how you help others succeed. Their stories reflect the power of restaurants in bringing people together, changing lives, and building a legacy of opportunity."

The Inclusion Innovator Award, presented by the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, went to Kwini Reed, co-founder of Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and the catering venture Root of All Food, all based in Anaheim, Calif., in recognition of her leadership in the use of cultural intelligence to improve her operations team or guest experience and to promote growth in her community and the overall industry. Reed has built a culture of advancement across her restaurants, personally providing mentorship, coaching, and professional development to her 45 employees and advancing careers from within through cross-training and leadership development. Beyond her own businesses, she serves on the California Restaurant Association board, is involved with James Beard's Women Entrepreneurial Leadership, and plays an active role in Regarding Her, a national nonprofit that empowers female food and drink entrepreneurs. She also supports No Kid Hungry, and during the COVID-19 pandemic she provided free meals to first responders and people who were unhoused.

The Community Champion Award was presented by American Express to Charley Shin, founder of Charleys Cheesesteaks, recognizing his commitment to giving back and making a meaningful difference in the communities his business serves. After immigrating to America from South Korea, Shin opened Charleys on the campus of Ohio State University in 1986. He has since grown it to more than 880 locations in 46 states and 17 countries, and in 2013 he launched Bibibop Asian Grill, a Korean-inspired fast casual concept with 70 locations across the United States. Beyond growing his business, Shin is passionate about creating opportunities for young people through education. His Charleys Kids Foundation has raised nearly $14 million to provide tutoring and literacy support to more than 230,000 students. Eighty-eight percent of participating students have demonstrated improved reading skills and 87% reported increased confidence. Shin also created Leaders Arise, a tutoring and mentorship training program for high school students, and in 2025 alone, the Foundation's Children's Tutoring Initiative generated more than 4,000 volunteer service hours.

The My Journey Award was presented by PepsiCo to Alex Habeeb, franchise owner of five Taco John's & Subway restaurants across Illinois, who overcame adversity to excel both personally and professionally in the restaurant industry, made a positive impact, set high standards as a leader and mentor, and created opportunities for others. Habeeb moved to the United States from Lebanon when he was 17 and has been with Taco John's for almost 50 years, where he started as a crew member before being promoted to management and eventually becoming an owner. Along the way, he faced financial hardship, immigration challenges, and years of uncertainty, but he kept going through all of it. Today, his 80 employees benefit from his belief in helping young people succeed. That commitment reaches into his community, too: he built a high school soccer program from scratch and has donated more than 500,000 free tacos through his long-running "Free Tacos for A's" student achievement program.

Finally, the Thad and Alice Eure Ambassador of Hospitality Award was presented by Ecolab to Scott Redler, founder of Redler's Hospitality in St. Louis, for his extraordinary achievement and exemplary leadership in the industry. Redler started his hospitality career at 15 with a catering company and has spent his entire adult life in and around kitchens. He has worked tirelessly to open that same path for the next generation. In 2025, he created the JumpStart program to bring up to 12 ProStart students and three chaperones to the annual National Restaurant Association Show at no cost, giving them an immersive, hands-on look at hospitality careers. There, students attend career-focused education sessions, connect with leading hospitality companies, and watch live demonstrations on the trade show floor. His impact extends to higher education, where he was the catalyst and benefactor for the Redler Institute of Culinary Arts at Butler Community College in Andover, Kansas, creating new pathways into culinary and hospitality education. While leading his successful consulting and management firm, Redler has also been a longtime voice for the restaurant industry at the local, state, and national levels. He helped restaurants navigate the pandemic and advocated with policymakers on issues that matter to operators and employees. A former Kansas Restaurateur of the Year and Kansas Restaurant Association Hall of Fame inductee, Redler exemplifies what it means to be an ambassador of hospitality.

Learn more about this year's Restaurants Advance Leadership Award winners here.

About The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) 

As the supporting philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF's charitable mission includes enhancing the industry's training and education, career development, and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower, and Advance today's and tomorrow's restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart® – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready/HOPES – Partnering with community based organizations to provide people with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center (RHLC) – accredited apprenticeship programs designed to build the careers of service professionals. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.

SOURCE National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation