From everyday scenes to aesthetic explorations and surreal touches, the winning images of this year’s World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi® showcase the richness and diversity of contemporary food photography.
In one standout image, five elderly women sit together, smiling as they enjoy a Sichuan specialty—spring rolls. “The colors, the composition, the variety of expressions—I challenge anyone not to be moved by this photo,” says Caroline Kenyon, founder of the World Food Photography Awards. The jury clearly agreed. Captured by Xiaoling Li, the photo took home the overall winner’s prize and also claimed the top spot in the “Food for the Family” category.
“The elderly ladies in the photo are ‘forming a Dragon Gate’—a Chinese expression referring to neighbors gathering to talk, chat, and share stories. […] Food makes these people happy. They lead beautiful and joyful lives,” explained the Chinese photographer, who received a prize of £5,000 (approximately €6,000).
Other joyful moments were celebrated across different categories. The Last Supper of Ana by French photographer Franck Tremblay won the “Fortnum & Mason Food at the Table” category. His image depicts a woman delightfully pouring herself a glass of wine in front of twelve dishes she prepared for the Revol feast, marking the end of the grape harvest in Beaujolais.
The “Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer” award went to a humorous and heartwarming scene captured by English photographer Emma Stoner. Her photo features a bride—wearing Crocs and sitting on a swing—biting enthusiastically into a canapé.
A total of 33 winning images were selected from nearly 10,000 entries submitted from 70 countries, reflecting a broad range of aesthetics and perspectives on food. Whether it’s Pavlova’s Arabesque, a delicate black-and-white composition by Canadian Audrey Laferrière (winner of the “Tiptree Cake Award”), or Sky Mushrooms by Italian photographer Diego Papagna (who won the “Production Paradise Previously Published” category), the honored works exhibit meticulous craft, often breaking away from traditional food photography conventions.
Redefining Food Photography
This uniqueness is precisely what caught the eye of the international jury, chaired by renowned food photographer David Loftus—particularly in the “Hotel Art Group Food Stylist Award” category. This year, it recognized Costas Millas for his image Greedy With A Chance Of Meatballs. “This series explores the idea of indulgent appetite through a juxtaposition of chaotic and meticulous styling,” explained the British photographer. The photo features an appetizing serving of spaghetti and meatballs atop a stack of dirty plates.
Artistic experimentation sometimes takes a surreal turn, as seen in Laundry Day by Pieter D’Hoop. Winner of the “MPB Award for Innovation,” the image portrays a laundromat where an octopus emerges from a washing machine, unsettling an otherwise mundane scene.
The awards were announced by chef, restaurateur, and food writer Yotam Ottolenghi at London’s Mall Galleries, where the 185 finalist images are on display until May 25. A selection will then be exhibited at Fortnum & Mason from June 2, followed by a showing at the Museum of the Home from June 3 to September 7.
“These awards demonstrate the power of photography to tell extraordinary culinary stories from around the globe,” said Dave Samuels, brand director for Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini and the competition’s lead sponsor. “No matter how the world changes, food remains at the heart of our lives. These remarkable images are a reminder of the essential role that food plays in our societies: to grow, cook, eat, celebrate, survive, and connect.”
Benjamin Rullier
More Information
www.worldfoodphotographyawards.com
