On 20th May in London, the world’s most prestigious international food photography competition announced the winners of its 2025 edition.
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY IN ALL ITS FORMS
Formerly known as Food Photographer of the Year, the World Food Photography Awards has since 2011 cemented its reputation as the planet’s leading event dedicated to food photography. Created by Caroline Kenyon – a former journalist and founder of a public relations agency specialising in British food products – the competition was born from an observation: the lack of recognition given to food photography, despite its omnipresence in our consumer societies.
The competition is open to both professional and amateur photographers from around the world. It recognises work from a wide variety of sources each year and gives its finalists an international profile, financial rewards and commercial opportunities.
Its 29 categories explore the richness of food representations: cultivation, the food industry, cooking, tasting, celebration, survival… every aspect of this universal and multifaceted language is covered.
WORLD FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS: 29 CATEGORIES
Among the innovations in this latest edition is the Bimi® Prize for the best photography showcasing fresh fruits and vegetables. It provides the brand – a partner of the competition – with a way of promoting plants in all their forms.
Meanwhile, the festive side of food is celebrated by the “Champagne Taittinger Food for Celebration” prize, which Maison Taittinger has supported since the earliest days of the competition. This category showcases images of dishes shared at parties and celebrations around the world, illustrating the central role food plays in convivial moments, irrespective of culture. The equally festive “Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer” prize, which rewards wedding photos of food: preparation, toasts, cake cutting, champagne bottle opening ceremonies, etc.
Other categories approach food from less expected angles. For example, the “Politics of Food” competition invites photographers to document political, social or environmental issues related to food production and distribution. This section of the competition highlights the critical and documentary power that food images can convey.
Another area is the “Hotel Art Group Food Stylist Award”, celebrating the work of food stylists – the behind-the-scenes artisans who assemble food for presentation. This award recognises excellence in aesthetic precision, inventiveness and attention to detail in visual composition, reminding us that food photography also contains elements of architecture, texture and light.
Also noteworthy is the “Bring Home the Harvest” award, a category which encompasses images illustrating the various harvesting processes (picking, harvesting, fishing and fish farming, salt marshes, etc.). These may feature movement or a powerful graphic element, creating an often striking, almost dramatic result.
A MULTI-TALENTED JURY
The jury – featuring new members every year – is a mix of photographers, chefs, editors, artistic directors and even video and film directors, all linked by a strong professional commitment to visual images and cuisine. Over the years, the competition has attracted renowned personalities such as chefs Alice Waters, Yotam Ottolenghi, Michel Roux Jr… and Martin Parr, a major figure in contemporary documentary photography. This year the role of jury chair has been assigned to David Loftus, the world’s most widely-published food photographer, ensuring that the selected works will be appraised by expert and demanding eyes.
2025 AWARDS CEREMONY
The winners of the 2025 edition will be announced on Tuesday 20th May at the Champagne Taittinger Awards Evening ceremony held at London’s Mall Galleries, in the presence of chef and food author Yotam Ottolenghi.
The shortlisted works will be exhibited at the Mall Galleries from 21st to 25th May, then at Fortnum & Mason from 2nd June, and finally at the Museum of the Home, from 3rd June to 7th September.
