Food can nourish, comfort, celebrate, heal and connect. Yet sometimes, a single photograph can remind us that food is also one of humanity’s most powerful storytelling tools.
This year’s World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Tenderstem® once again demonstrated that truth, showcasing extraordinary images from around the globe that capture far more than what is on a plate. They reveal lives, traditions, memories, communities and emotions that transcend borders.
Emerging from nearly 9,000 entries submitted by photographers from more than 50 countries, British photographer Jo Kearney was crowned the Overall Winner of the 2026 World Food Photography Awards, while South Africa’s own Louhani Els earned international recognition with a Highly Commended accolade for a deeply personal and moving work.
A Photograph That Moved Judges to Tears
The image that claimed the competition’s top honour is titled A Woman Eats in the Canteen of the Soviet-era Sanatorium.
Captured by British photographer Jo Kearney, the photograph first won the prestigious Fortnum & Mason Food at the Table category before being selected as the overall winner of the global competition.
Taken inside the Khoja Obi Garm sanatorium in the mountains of Tajikistan, the image depicts an elderly woman quietly pouring herself tea during breakfast.
Yet what appears at first glance to be an ordinary moment unfolds into something far more profound.
The Soviet-era sanatorium, built around radon-rich hot springs, remains one of the few facilities of its kind still operating today. Guests visit for prescribed wellness treatments, including thermal bathing and steam therapy, while enjoying simple, nourishing meals that reflect the institution’s restorative philosophy.
For the judges, however, it was not merely the location that made the image unforgettable.
“There is so much to see and so much to feel in this image,” said Caroline Kenyon, Founder of the World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Tenderstem®.
“An old woman pours herself tea – but it’s so much more than just that. The expression on her crevassed face is beautiful, it moved me to tears.”
Kenyon described how every element of the image contributes to its emotional depth, from the breakfast on the table and the fruit painting behind her to the rich crimson chairs that lend a regal atmosphere to the scene.
“She has seen much in life, we are sure, but holds her head high,” Kenyon added.
The winning photograph earned Kearney the overall prize of £5,000 and global recognition among the world’s most accomplished food photographers.
South African Photographer Earns International Recognition
South Africa also had reason to celebrate.
Photographer Louhani Els was Highly Commended in the Cake Award category for her evocative image Food Altar – Sardines and My Dad.
Far from a conventional food photograph, the work explores memory, grief and reconciliation through symbolic storytelling.
Inspired by poet Tori Derricotte’s work My Dad and Sardines, Els translated the emotional themes of the poem into a visual narrative built around food.
“This artwork translates Tori Derricotte’s poem through food photography, portraying a daughter’s reconciliation with the memory of her deceased father,” explained Els.
At the centre of the image is a damaged cake representing emotional brokenness. Alongside it sits a carefully arranged food altar featuring sardines, crackers and onions — a ritual associated with her father’s memory.
Together, these elements create a deeply personal reflection on healing, remembrance and peace.
The recognition places Els among some of the world’s leading food photographers and highlights the growing presence of South African creatives on international stages.
A Celebration of Food, Culture and Humanity
The winners of all 27 competition categories were announced at a prestigious awards ceremony held at the Mall Galleries in London on 2 June 2026.
Renowned Italian chef and food writer Gennaro Contaldo revealed the winners before an audience that included prominent figures from both the culinary and creative industries.
The awards continue to showcase the extraordinary diversity of stories connected to food across the world.
“These Awards highlight the power of photography to tell food stories from around the world,” said Dave Samuels, Brand Director of Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini and headline sponsor of the competition.
“The remarkable images remind us of the essential role food plays in communities across the globe — through growing, harvesting, cooking, eating, celebrating and surviving.”
“Whatever changes the world goes through, food remains central to our lives.”
Global Expertise Behind the Judging Panel
The 2026 judging panel brought together some of the most respected names in photography, hospitality and food.
Chaired by legendary food photographer David Loftus, the panel included Michelin-starred South African chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, Fortnum & Mason CEO Tom Athron, World Food Programme Senior Photographer and Photo Editor Rein Skullerud, and globally renowned chef and food campaigner Jamie Oliver.
Their collective expertise helped select winners from thousands of entries submitted from around the world.
Bringing Food Photography to the Public
Photography enthusiasts and food lovers will have the opportunity to experience the winning works and finalist images firsthand.
A free exhibition featuring all 203 finalist photographs premiered at the Mall Galleries in London on 3 June and will run until 7 June 2026.
Following the exhibition, a curated selection of images chosen by Fortnum & Mason will be displayed at the retailer’s iconic Piccadilly store from 9 June.
Among the standout category winners is a vibrant image by Chinese photographer Pingyao Song, which captured a communal banquet at a food festival in China and won the Champagne Taittinger Food for Celebration category.
Together, the photographs reveal a simple but powerful truth: food is never just about eating.
It is about identity. Family. Culture. Celebration. Memory. Survival.
And sometimes, through the lens of a camera, it becomes a universal language capable of connecting people across continents.
For South Africa’s Louhani Els, that language has now been recognised on one of the world’s biggest stages for food photography, proving once again that some of the most powerful stories are told not through words, but through a single unforgettable image.
