LA's Homeboy Industries Earns a Long-Overdue James Beard Award

Father Greg Boyle, the man behind Los Angeles' beloved gang interventionist baking and cafe program Homeboy Industries, is being honored this year with a James Beard Award as Humanitarian of the Year. Per a press release being sent around by the Foundation, Boyle earns the nod for turning tens of thousands of former gang members into bakers, cooks, and chefs through his non-profit and wholesale outfits.

Since 1992, Boyle has been acting as a gang interventionist and anti-recidivist in some of L.A.’s toughest neighborhoods, launching Homeboy Industries as a way to keep gang members active and productive, particularly after stints in prison. Through his cafe in Chinatown, his wholesale and catering wing (you can find Homeboy Industries-Branded salsas and more in grocery stores across the city), and his Homeboy Diner located at City Hall, Boyle has helped to change the city of Los Angeles for the better.

Per LA Weekly, Boyle says that he’s "honored and humbled" by the award, while acknowledging that it shines a light on the often most marginalized members of Los Angeles. He’ll be given the award in person at the James Beard Foundation awards on May 2 in Chicago.