Sky-High Mushrooms – Production Paradise Previously Published Category (1st Prize)
The photo titled Sky Mushrooms is both simple and poetic. Mushrooms wrapped in steam float in a dance of light and translucence, as if the warmth of the kitchen transforms into a sunlit sky. This image captures not just food but mood, scent, and memory—the calm, cozy moment when the quiet ritual of cooking turns a plate of ingredients into an airy, almost ethereal experience.
Flour-Dusted Joy – Champagne Taittinger Festive Food Photo Category (Honorable Mention)
This sweet and playful shot shows a little girl laughing, covered in flour as she kneads dough. Her tiny hands move with joyful energy, capturing the pure essence of childhood delight. In this moment, the world fades away: mess doesn’t matter, only the experience, the movement, the laughter.
Flour-covered Joy reveals the truest face of childhood. It reminds us that food is not only a shared experience but also learning, play, and carefree fun—especially when kids take center stage.
Fishing in the Mangrove Forest – Bringing Home the Harvest Category (3rd Place)
In Vietnam’s Duyen Hai coastal mangrove forest, locals skillfully navigate dense green foliage while setting traps for crabs, shrimp, and fish. Their livelihood is closely tied to the tides, with nature generously providing a rich food source. This unique way of life connects generations living and working along the waterways, honoring and making the most of nature’s gifts.
A Moment to Share – Winter Street Food – On the Phone Category (2nd Prize)
A Moment to Share – Winter Street Food captures a cozy street scene at Sofia’s Christmas market. Despite the cold, a long line snakes in front of the outdoor grill stand—the photographer waited nearly half an hour just to taste the fragrant, freshly cooked treats.
But this image is memorable not just for the food, but for the person behind it. The chef’s friendly, attentive demeanor shines through every move, showing heart and soul in every dish served. This moment is about more than winter flavors—it’s about warmth, care, and how simple street food can connect us all.
The Forest Path – MPB Innovation Award (Honorable Mention)
When Jacki Gordon first spotted brown Shimeji mushrooms, she knew she had to buy them. Alongside tiny 2-centimeter (about 0.8-inch) tall figurines, the mushrooms create the illusion of a forest, made even more dramatic by a black background and special lighting.
Lighting was the biggest challenge in creating this photo, but it’s also what gave it its unique mood and depth. This piece is a perfect example of how food and art can be playfully blended.
The Cake Knife – Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photo Category (2nd Place)
Photo: Lynne Kennedy / World Food Photography Awards
Sometimes a small gesture tells more about a relationship than a thousand words. This shot captures just that moment: the groom savoring a bite of heavenly wedding cake while watching his new bride with a mix of wonder and slight confusion as she carefully cleans the cake knife.
Its humor and gentle intimacy make this photo truly special: the groom’s expression is both amusing and loving, as if silently asking, “What’s she taking so seriously?”
Delfina, the Pasta Auntie – Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers (1st Prize)
Photo: Lizzie Mayson/World Food Photography Awards
One of the most beautiful images from the 2025 World Food Photography Awards honors a quiet heroine of an Italian kitchen. Part of the Pasta Grannies series, this portrait shows Delfina making traditional fieno di Canepina pasta in her home in the Lazio region.
The photo reveals not just an elderly woman but a living keeper of knowledge: Delfina works with masterful technique. She rolls the dough out to the size of the table, waves it like a cloth, folds it accordion-style, then slices it paper-thin. In the background, fresh pasta rests on the bed like a soft, golden fabric, evoking craftsmanship, tradition, and love.
This image documents not only a culinary masterpiece but also how cooking becomes a ritual—a celebration of home, history, and female heritage.
Seniors Enjoying Fine Food – Food for the Family Category (1st Place and Overall Winner)
Photo: Xiaoling Li/World Food Photography Awards
The 2025 World Food Photography Awards overall winner is a touching, heartwarming photo by Xiaoling Li. Taken on a spring afternoon in Shuangliu, an ancient town in Sichuan province, China, it shows five elderly people sitting together—wrapped in colorful jackets and knitted hats, smiling warmly—as they share one of the region’s iconic dishes: spring rolls.
The homemade rolls are filled with fresh vegetables—cucumber, carrot, and scallions—and flavored with fragrant sauces: green mustard, Sichuan pepper, sweet sauce, spicy red oil, and a pinch of sesame seeds. This scene captures not only the rich flavors but also the strength of community.
This photo reminds us that eating is not just a personal need but a shared joy that connects people—where even a single roll can carry a lifetime of stories.
