The shortlist for the 2026 edition of the competition celebrating the world’s best culinary photography and films has been announced, ahead of the awards ceremony on 2 June.
The selection is narrowing down. From the thousands of entries received from over 50 countries, the judging panel has shortlisted several hundred images, which are now in the running in one of the 27 categories of the international culinary photography competition. From work in the fields to the kitchen, via moments of celebration, street food and even polished compositions showcasing the most mouth-watering cakes, the competition aims, once again this year, to highlight the diversity and richness of culinary imagery. “Nothing tells these essential stories with as much power as the images photographers send us from all over the world,” recalled Caroline Kenyon, founder of the World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Tenderstem® Bimi® , last year.
In the ‘Bring Home the Harvest’ category, dedicated to harvest imagery, around forty photographs remain in the running, including *Lemongrass Harvest*, Oko Farms, Brooklyn, New York. Valery Rizzo captures a scene from daily life at an aquaponics farm in Brooklyn, in a simple composition where the urban landscape and nature interplay. In the same category, but on the other side of the world, Yi Lui presents a black-and-white close-up of an elderly woman meticulously selecting a single grain of rice, in Every Single Grain is the Fruit of Hard Work.
Their images, like all the others, will be scrutinised by an international jury chaired by food photographer David Loftus, alongside Claire Reichenbach (CEO of the James Beard Foundation), Tom Athron (CEO of Fortnum & Mason), Rein Skullerud (photographer and photo editor at the World Food Programme), Jamie Oliver (chef and restaurateur) and Olia Hercules (author, chef and food activist).
Following the judging, the winners of the 27 categories will be announced on Tuesday 2 June at the Champagne Taittinger awards ceremony in London. The overall winner will receive a prize of £5,000 (approximately €5,700). A free exhibition featuring all the 2026 finalist images will be held from Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 June at the Mall Galleries in London. A selection of images chosen by Fortnum & Mason will also be on display at their Piccadilly store from Tuesday 9 June.
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