Full Breakdown
Jo Kearney’s Sanatorium Portrait Wins World Food Photography Awards 2026
6/3/2026, 9:54:39 PM
Competition Overview
The 2026 World Food Photography Awards, sponsored by Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini, received close to 9,000 entries from more than 50 countries. The contest featured 27 categories and awarded a £5,000 cash prize to the overall winner. The winners were announced on 2 June at London’s Mall Galleries by chef-author Gennaro Contaldo. The judging panel was chaired by food-photographer David Loftus and included chefs Sergio and Javier Torres, James Beard Foundation CEO Claire Reichenbach, Fortnum & Mason CEO Tom Athron, Production Paradise MD Catherine Delaloye, and World Food Programme photographer Rein Skullerud. A free exhibition of the 203 finalist images runs at the Mall Galleries until 7 June, with a selection displayed at Fortnum & Mason’s Piccadilly store from 9 June.
Winning Image: “A Woman Eats in the Canteen of the Soviet-Era Sanatorium”
British photographer Jo Kearney captured the image that secured the overall prize. The black-and-white photograph shows an elderly Tajik woman alone at a breakfast table, pouring tea while a painted fruit still-life hangs behind her. The composition juxtaposes the muted tones of the sanatorium’s concrete interior with the vivid crimson of the chairs, emphasizing the subject’s dignity amid a modest setting.
Setting and Cultural Context of Khoja Obi Garm
The photograph was taken at the Khoja Obi Garm sanatorium in the Tajik mountains. Built during the Soviet era on radon-rich hot springs, the concrete “health hotel” still offers thermal baths, steam therapy, and full-board meals that include soups, fruit, tea and traditional Tajik dishes. Reported daily rates vary between €28 and $28 for accommodation, meals and treatments, attracting local Tajiks, visitors from neighbouring “Stans” and occasional backpackers.
Official Statements & Responses
- Caroline Kenyon, founder of the awards, described the image as “much more than a simple act of pouring tea,” noting the subject’s “enormous dignity” and the emotional impact it had on her.
- Dave Samuels, brand director of Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini, said the awards “highlight the power of photography to tell stories about food around the world” and underscored that “food remains central to our lives, whether we are growing, harvesting, cooking, celebrating or surviving.”
- Jo Kearney explained that the sanatorium, once a Soviet workers’ holiday spot, now draws guests because of its low price and the combination of therapeutic treatments with communal meals.
Criticism & Opposition
No dissenting commentary or criticism of the competition or the winning image was reported in the source material.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the daily cost of staying at Khoja Obi Garm, citing both €28 and $28 per day. The discrepancy is not resolved in the available reports.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There is so much to see and feel in this image,” — Caroline Kenyon, Founder, World Food Photography Awards
- “An elderly woman is pouring herself a cup of tea, but the photograph is much more than that. The expression on her lined face is beautiful; it moved me so deeply that I could not help shedding a tear. She is alone, and her simple breakfast on the table visually connects with the fruit depicted in the painting behind her. Against the dry, muted tones of the landscape outside, the intense crimson of the chairs brings an almost majestic feeling to the scene. Although she is dressed modestly, she conveys enormous dignity. We are sure she has lived a great deal, but she holds her head high.” — Caroline Kenyon
- “These awards highlight the power of photography to tell stories about food around the world,” — Dave Samuels, Brand Director, Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini
- “The extraordinary images remind us of the essential role food plays in communities across the planet: growing, harvesting, cooking, eating, celebrating and surviving.” — Dave Samuels
- “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,” — Jo Kearney
- “She has seen much in life, we are sure, but holds her head high.” — Caroline Kenyon
What’s Next
The full gallery of 2026 finalists will remain on view at the Mall Galleries until 7 June, with a curated selection at Fortnum & Mason thereafter. Entries for the 2027 competition are scheduled to open in September, inviting another global cohort of photographers to document food’s role in culture and community.
