The 2026 World Food Photo Awards Winners Will Make You Hungry

The winners of the World Food Photography Awards 2026 have been revealed, and as ever, it’s a reminder that food photography can be as much about people and place as it is about what’s on the plate. This year’s Overall Winner went to British photographer Jo Kearney for her powerful image A Woman Eats in the Canteen of the Soviet-era Sanatorium, shot inside a fading but still-operational Soviet-era health complex in Tajikistan.

The results were announced in London at the awards ceremony, with the 27 category winners unveiled by chef Gennaro Contaldo. Winners were selected from over 9000 entries, from intimate everyday moments to highly stylised food art, including a striking candied pear image that took the Bimi® Prize. Chaired by legendary food photographer David Loftus, the global jury included names from across the food world, while headline sponsor Bimi® once again backed an event that continues to prove food photography is really about culture, survival, celebration, and everything in between. Here is a selection of the winning images:

OVERALL WINNER and Fortnum & Mason Food at the Table

Jo Kearney, UK

“A Woman Eats in the Canteen of the Soviet-era Sanatorium”
The Khoja Obi Garm sanatorium (health hotel), Tajikistan, is a brutalist concrete monstrosity built on hot radon gas-infused springs in the mountains. During Soviet times, communist workers were given two weeks annual holiday here. Today its low price – $28 per day including full board and treatments – attracts ordinary Tajiks plus tourists from the neighbouring ‘Stans’ and the odd backpacker. Treatments include hot pools and steam rooms, wax wraps and tanning barrels, plus hearty healthy meals.

Cream of the Crop

Albert González, Spain

“Ine Fishing Village, Kyoto, Japan”
Squids drying in the sun using the traditional Japanese technique of Himono in the fishing village of Ine, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.

Champagne Taittinger Food for Celebration

Pingyao Song, China

“The Festival of Food Enthusiasts”
At the Gourmet Festival organised by China’s ‘Zouchuan Hotpot’ brand, hundreds of food enthusiasts gather around a communal banquet. The rich aroma of red broth – simmered with chilli peppers, fermented bean paste, beef tallow, Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, sugar, salt, soy sauce and spices – fills the air. Participants savour fresh ingredients like beef, beef aorta, tripe, luncheon meat and tofu, or lift their lights and phones to livestream, focusing on the bubbling pot. Through tasting, sharing, and interaction, they convey the authentic flavours and lively atmosphere of Sichuan hotpot to food lovers across China and around the world.

Cake Award

Claudia Anton, Australia

“A Mid-Century Man and his Cake”
This image creates a cinematic mid-century mood with high contrast, warm tones and textures. The cake is the centrepiece with symmetrical lines and buttercream swirls glowing in firelight. The scene is filled with hidden vintage surprises, family heirlooms and trinkets. A nod to the era and a moment in time.

Bring Home the Harvest

Marco Rutten, Netherlands

“Early Morning Catch, Hooghly River”
At sunrise beneath Howrah Bridge, a small crew hauls in their nets on the Hooghly River. River fish remain everyday food and income here: catches from boats like this are sold in nearby markets and prepared that very morning in Bengali kitchens. A quiet, collective harvest beneath the city’s busiest crossing.

Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer

Emma Stoner, UK

“Twin Bridesmaids Enjoy Canapés, Devon, UK”
May 2025. Twin bridesmaids enjoy canapés of ‘Proper Crisps’ at Jess & Tom’s wedding. They are pictured in the gardens at The Grain Store in Devon, UK.

Food Influencer

Maja Lewicz, Netherlands

“Noodles”
Dark, moody noodles with texture that you can almost feel. Mysterious, bold and irresistible.

On the Phone in support of Action Against Hunger

Maggie Jary, UK

“The Chip ‘n’ Ladies Day Out”
I feel this image portrays the power of friendship. Four women (unknown to me) having a fun day out, enjoying a sneaky bag of chips. The image was not constructed, just a spontaneous capture of a joyous moment, which they were happy to share. Taken at Beamish open-air museum, County Durham.

Louis Jadot Wine Photographer of the Year – Overall Winner (and People)

Juan Miguel Ortuño Martinez, Spain

“In the Depths of the Deposit”
During the cleaning of the underground tanks, Pedro goes down and cleans the walls and floor of the remains of the previous wine with pressurised water. Once clean, his partner lowers a small bucket with a sponge inside to collect the remains that are left in the lower corner.

Louis Jadot Wine Photographer of the Year – Places

Chris Elfes, Australia

“The Hidden Vineyard, Pokolbin NSW Australia”
This vineyard is just beside a main road but you can’t see it unless you stop. It is sort of hidden. This image was taken while Mount Pleasant Wines picked their Semillon grapes. I stopped to shoot the ground action but the drone gave me a great perspective and nature did its best to help me.

Louis Jadot Wine Photographer of the Year – Produce

Luke Carver, France

“In the Eye of the Kvevri”
Point-of-view shot from inside a traditional kvevri during the 2025 grape harvest in Georgia.

The James Beard Foundation Photography Award

Daniel D Kwak, USA

“At the Register”
A moment of respite from the line at Hadja Marley, an authentic Senegalese eatery in Brooklyn. This portrait captures the daily rhythm of life on Fulton Street, focusing on the steady presence of the staff and the traditional West African flavours that bring the local community together. A study of neighbourhood service.

Hotel Art Group Food Stylist Award

Styling: Sarah Ghijselinck | Photo: Sandra Declercq, Belgium

“Raw Pairing No.1”
Wine pairing is usually shown through prepared plates. This image approaches it differently: by composing the raw ingredients that define the pairing. Spice, earthiness and freshness are balanced visually to reflect how flavour combinations determine which wine works with a dish.

Food in the Field

Serkan Dogus, UK

“Dusty Journey”
Every morning, hundreds of sheep arrive in the village from the high pastures of Mount Nemrut for milking. After the milking is completed, at sunset, the sheep set out once again toward Mount Nemrut, and their dusty journey begins.

Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers

Kellie Carter, USA

“Granny’s Welcoming Gift of Love”
This home affirms the true meaning of family. Where home is sustained by generosity, where love is expressed through making, sharing and showing up again and again. Where Granny’s smile, fresh baked cookies and a cold glass of milk can make even the bleakest of days bright again.

Food Portraiture

Danielle Marie, Australia

“Jelly with a Cherry”
I wanted to capture this image in a minimal and moody style, showing the quiet drama of this classic dessert. I was inspired by the way the light filters through the jelly like a jewel, and used a shadowed and geometric background to show beauty in the ordinary.

World of Drinks

Marie-Louise Moutafchieva, Canada

“Campari Barmen, Milan”
I happened by chance to turn my attention to the local bar on the corner of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Camparino. The expression of the barman and the waiter dressed in white tuxedos instantly created a story I had to capture. It was one of those moments where I found myself in the right place at the right time.

Food for the Family supported by The Felix Project

Michela Balboni and Federico Borella, Italy

“The Final Touch”
Little Asilbek touching the hot bread, straight out of the family tandoor. In Samarkand (Uzbekistan) the ‘non’ is unlike any other: round, dense, with a thick, chewy crust, and always marked in its centre with black sesame seeds.

Jamie Oliver Youth Prize 12 and under

Ariel Owliaei, UK

“Romanesco at Panzer’s”
We go to visit Panzer’s deli in St. John’s Wood on Fridays after school. I’ve never tried romanesco! The shape is something from another world.

Jamie Oliver Youth Prize 13 – 17

Indigo Larmour, India

“Chhath Puja Offerings”
During Chhath Puja, food offerings are held by devotees, who stand in bodies of water as they pray to the sun god, Surya. This Puja is predominantly performed by women, and is always vibrant and colourful, particularly when observed in a rural setting, such as this in West Bengal, India.

Politics of Food

Glenn Vanderbeke, Belgium

“Irebero Miller”
Portrait of a female miller after processing grains into cornmeal. At Vocational Training Center Irebero, single women are trained as millers.

M&S Food Rising Star

Sarah-Vanessa Schneider, Switzerland

“Dipping Bread into Stew”
I wanted to capture the simple act of dipping bread into a bowl of fresh, warm lentil stew, a moment of comfort and indulgence. The composition highlights the warmth, cosiness, and soulfulness of the scene, as well as the intimacy of a shared, home-cooked moment.

unearthed® Food for Sale

Kazi Mohammad Golam Quddus, Bangladesh

“Cabbage Market. Mohastangor, Bogura, Bangladesh”
In Mahasthangarh, Bogra, a large vegetable market comes alive each morning. Farmers bring in their freshly harvested cabbages, usually transported by rickshaw vans, and gather for the daily cabbage market. Traders buy the produce here and supply it to Dhaka and other major cities.

Production Paradise Previously Published

Erik Lafontaine, Belgium

“Poaching”
A poached mackerel emerging from a deep, shadowed broth. Controlled lighting sculpts texture and surface tension. The image plays with darkness and stillness, turning humble preparation into a study of depth, contrast and restrained drama.

UK for UNHCR Food as Home

Sadia Sikandar, Scotland

“A Moment in the Kitchen”
While living in the UK, away from home for seven years, “home” no longer represents a geographical space for me. It is a place I go to where I feel welcome, valued, and able to make good memories. This is a place I pass by whenever I have time; I sit with the restaurant owner, and we gossip and laugh a lot. The place and the people make me feel at home.

RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year

Lara Zeh, Germany

“Red Cocktail”
A sophisticated, monochromatic study of heat and elegance. This deep crimson composition uses a precise spotlight to highlight the glass’s silhouette and create depth. Featuring a hand-crafted chilli-sugar rim, the image focuses on geometric symmetry and rich textures, translating the cocktail’s spicy character into a bold, artistic statement.

The Philip Harben Award for Food in Action

Lehóczki Balázs, Hungary

“Proven Recipe”
I had planned this image for six to seven years but kept postponing it, feeling unworthy of capturing them. Now, because of their age, I couldn’t wait. Grandma went to the hairdresser, Grandpa shaved, and I filled their kitchen with studio gear. When she saw the photograph, my grandmother called me an artist.

World Food Programme Food for Life

Mithail Afrige Chowdhury, Bangladesh

“The Open Air Hotel”
An open-air restaurant owner serves food to her customers. She sells at a low price so that daily labourers who work at Gabtoli coal station can afford it. The photograph was taken in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

MPB Award for Innovation

Hussam Sleiby, Jordan

“Family Portrait”
In this whimsical family portrait, a white eggplant and a deep purple eggplant pose as mother and father behind an ornate gilded antique frame. Three striped offspring stand proudly before them. Bathed in dramatic warm lighting, the scene rests on a rustic wooden table against a weathered, peeling wall, evoking a sense of nostalgia.

Street Food

Kara Baird, Australia

“Kyoto Street Vendor”
Shot in Kyoto, Japan in September 2025, this image was taken in a split second as I moved through the packed, sweaty crowd at Nishiki Market. With barely any space to stop, I raised the camera and captured a brief, unfiltered moment of the energy and intensity of the market at its busiest.

The Bimi® Prize

Anne Mason-Hoerter, Germany

“Candied Pear”
I wanted to create a unique image of candied fruit, and I have always been fascinated by the transparency of colours revealed through the process. I began by slicing a pear very thinly and boiling the slices in a mixture of sugar and water. Once the slices became transparent, I laid them out to dry on paper. The image was created using sugar water and a pear slice placed on a glass sheet, along with coloured plastic in front of a table lamp. I photographed the setup multiple times from different angles, and finally, I used Photoshop to combine the various images.

All the finalists and winners can be seen on the World Food Photography Awards website.

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