World’s Best Food Photo Served Up

A powerful and emotional shot, After Exodus, by Bangladeshi photographer K M Asad, was crowned our Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year Overall Winner 2020.

The photograph was taken in the vast Rohingya refugee camp which counts as home for over one million people in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh. Poignantly, the camp has just been placed in lockdown to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. 

Description: Myanmar Rohingya refugee children wait in a queue to collect food a refugee camp in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar. According to the UNHCR more than 742,000 Rohingya refugees fled from Myanmar, most trying to cross the border and reach Bangladesh.
Category: Politics of Food
Technical: Canon Eos 5D Mark IV, Lens EF 35mm 1.4L, ISO 200, Shutter:1/5000, Aperture:1.8

 

“This moving image really speaks to our times,” says Caroline Kenyon, Founder/Director of the Awards. “The world is in the grip of Covid19 and normal life, whatever that may be, has stopped for all of us. These Rohingya refugee children remind us of the fragility of life, that our need for food for survival connects us all around the world. We are all the same.”

The Covid19 lockdown did not defeat the celebrations. For the first time since the competition’s inception in 2011, the Awards evening was held online. Winners were announced by legendary musician and cheesemaker, Alex James, in a livestreamed event on the evening of Tuesday 28 April 2020. It was watched by an audience across the globe, including celebrities from the food and photography world.

“The standard was exceptional.” says Phil Turnbull, CEO of APAL, parent company of Pink Lady®, and headline sponsor of the Awards since 2011. “There were nearly 9000 entries from over 70 countries - this competition inspires across the world. It is a truly global coming together of talent.”

Chaired by internationally-renowned food photographer David Loftus, this year our judging panel included Chris Dee, Director, Food & Home, Harrods; Per-Anders Jorgensen, Photographer and Founder, Fool Magazine; Josh Lustig, Picture Editor, Financial Times Weekend Magazine; Vitalie Taittinger, President, Champagne Taittinger; Rein Skullerud, Head, Photography Unit, Communications Division, World Food Programme.

“The winner is amazing, its beautiful. It is a very painterly image that speaks from the heart and soul, and certainly a worthy winner!” – David Loftus, Chair of judges.

Congratulations, K M Asad from us all at Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year.