By Jessica Stewart on May 23, 2025

“The Elderly Having Delicious Food” by Xiaoling Li (China). Overall Winner and Winner, Food for the Family supported by the Felix Project.
“In an early spring afternoon in Shuangliu Ancient Town, Sichuan Province, China, five elderly ladies in their eighties sit together. Wearing colorful jackets and wool hats, they happily eat the famous Sichuan snack ‘Spring rolls’. A wrap of thin homemade dough, filled with cucumber, carrot, and shredded scallions, drizzled with green mustard, Sichuan pepper, red oil, sweet sauce, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. They are “setting up a Dragon Gate formation” – an expression used in China to refer to neighbourhood friends coming together to chat, gossip, and share stories. Food makes these people happy; they enjoy a beautiful and joyful life.” (World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi®)

“These extraordinary images serve as a reminder of the fundamental role food plays across communities.”

A group of women enjoying friendship, laughter, and food has won the 2025 World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi®. The photograph, taken by photographer Xiaoling Li in Sichuan Province, shows five elderly ladies eating some snacks and chatting, demonstrating how food brings us together. The image beat out nearly 10,000 submissions from photographers in 70 countries.

“What a perfect winning image for our times,” says Caroline Kenyon, founder of the World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi®. “This beautifully framed shot captures five elderly women in Sichuan Province, reveling in good food with true friends. The joy they have in each other’s company is palpable, a powerful rebuke to those who would divide us. Color, composition, the variety of expressions while one determinedly plows on with their food—I defy anyone not to be uplifted by this photograph.”

In addition to the overall winner, exceptional food photography was singled out across a wide variety of categories. From food styling to product shots to awards for innovation and phone photography, the winning images demonstrate the myriad ways that cuisine can be documented.

“Flour Swirl” by Dorien Paymans (Netherlands). Winner, Cream of the Crop.
“Part of the series ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ where I captured the process of baking sourdough bread while incorporating the symbolism of the Japanese Ensō sign (imperfect circle). Preparing food and photography are both mindful activities where calmness and creativity exist in the moment of creation. This makes the combination of both so magical.”

Judged by expert food photographers, chefs, restaurateurs, cookbook authors, and photo editors, the exceptional images show the true art behind this type of photography. In telling stories around food, these photographers are also telling tales of tradition, culture, and human relationships.

“These Awards showcase the power of photography in telling incredible food stories from around the world,” says Dave Samuels, brand director of Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini and headline sponsor of the Awards. […]

“Hogging the Limelight” by Susan Lang (UK). Winner, Food in the Field.
“A litter of free range Large Black piglets. The Large Black is a rare breed and is Britain’s only all black pig. Adults weigh up to 350kg and have distinctive floppy ears that fall over their eyes, making them a challenge to photograph! They will eat anything, including my flash diffuser.”(World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi®

More: 15 Exceptional Winners of the 2025 World Food Photography Awards