How we celebrate with food around the world – in pictures

 

From birthday cakes adorned with candles to elaborate wedding feasts, from traditional Christmas fare to the vibrant dishes of religious festivals, food is a universal language of celebration. Food does more than nourish the body; it feeds our sense of connection, community and tradition, and marks our special occasions through flavour, colour and love.

Through this blog, with a selection of images from the archives of our Champagne Taittinger Food for Celebration category and Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer category, you can explore the diverse and delicious ways people around the world use food to honour life’s most meaningful moments.

 

Banh Hoi Cake by Hoai Anh Dang, Winner, 2025

Banh Hoi is a specialty dish in Vietnam found in many places such as Binh Thuan, Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Phu Yen, Nha Trang and Binh Dinh. The cake is made from rice flour and has an elaborate and meticulous preparation process. Banh hoi is often eaten with scallion oil, roasted meat, grilled meat and pork offal. This is an indispensable dish in holidays, death anniversaries, weddings and ceremonies at communal houses and pagodas of the people. It is a culinary culture of the locality.

 

 

 

Cross Made of Honey Jars - Beekeepers’ Day in Bulgaria by Radoslav Sviretsov, Highly Commended, 2025

On February 10, Christians honour St. Charalampius - the patron saint of honey and beekeepers. In Blagoevgrad, there is a tradition for laypeople to leave a jar of honey on a table in the shape of a cross with the name of a loved one on it. I had been dreaming of seeing this extraordinary tradition with my own eyes for years and finally had the opportunity. The dimmed atmosphere, the singing of the choir and the smell of candles made everything even more mystical and beautiful.

 

 

 

Shab-e-Barat Bread by Muhammad Mostafigur Rahman, Commended, 2025

Artisanal bread, crafted in intricate designs and various sizes, known as Nakshi or fancy bread, is being prepared at a traditional bakery in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh. On the eve of Holy Shab-e-Barat, a significant observance for Muslims, bakers work meticulously to create these special loaves, rich in cultural and religious significance.

 

 

 

A tuna feast by Marina Spironetti, Commended, 2025

This photo was captured in Crikvenica, a seaside town on Croatia’s Kvarner Bay during ‘Mjesec Plave Ribe’, meaning ‘Month of Oily Fish.’ It’s a food-and-culture festival, usually held once a year, celebrating oily fish.

Here, Sushi master Nobuhito Okada is showing the head of a 110-kg Adriatic bluefin tuna before processing the fish in front of a wide-eyed crowd and turning it into gastronomic delicacies.

 

 

 

Dong Village Banquet in the Rain by Shaolong Su, Commended, 2025

China is a multi-ethnic country, and the Dong ethnic group is mainly distributed in provinces such as Guizhou. This ethnic group has many traditional festivals, where people sing and dance, bless each other, and exchange happiness and beauty in life through long table banquets, like the one captured here.

 

 

 

Praying with Food by Noor Ahmed Gelal, 1st, 2018

A section of the Hindu community is preparing to break the day-long fast in one of the local temples at Swamibag, Dhaka, Bangladesh. They believe their fasting will redeem their sins.

 

 

 

Eve of Christmas in Poland by Emilia Konkol-Pastuszak, 2018

Christmas Eve in Poland begins with a serving of red borscht with sourdough and dumplings. It's a very touching moment, full of wishes and silence. One place at the table is left for stray wanderers and relatives who passed away.

 

 

 

Wedding Sugars by Weining Lin, 2nd, 2022

The host family prepared a full plate of wedding sugars for the guests, so that everyone could share the family's happiness. Everyone is laughing and the room is filled with happiness.

 

 

 

Hooey’s Birthday by Lisa Flood, Highly Commended, 2023

Silver-dapple miniature horse Hooey celebrates his 19th birthday in Wilson, Wyoming cabin with sisters Macy Jane, 7, and Maeve, 9, and poodle El Diablo Blanco. Wearing Easter dresses and cowboy boots, the girls rode their pony inside and outside and the party concluded with a carrot cake which was enjoyed by all.

 

 

 

Fasting Celebration by Azim Khan Ronnie, 2nd, 2020

Devotees attend prayer with burning incense and light oil lamps before breaking their fast during a religious festival called Rakher Upobash in Narayanganj, Bangladesh. Bengali people of the Hindu faith in Bangladesh sit in prayer celebrating the 18th century Hindu Saint Baba Lokenath with a 'Rakher Upobas' prayer and a fast day. Every year thousands of Hindu devotees gather in front of Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram temple.

 

 

 

Blessed by the Rebbe by Andy Aitchison, 3rd, 2018

The Orthodox Jewish festival of Tu Bishvat is celebrated as the New Year of Trees with a symbolic eating of different varieties of fruit. In a Stamford Hill synagogue the Chassidic Skver Rebbe, visiting from New York, blesses the fruit in front of the entire synagogue.

 

 

 

Chocolate and the Bride by Subrata Dey, Highly Commended, 2021

Brides need snacks on their wedding day - and you can match your snack to your outfit too.

 

 

 

Pig Feast of Dani Tribe by Sanghamitra Sarkar, 2019

The Dani are an ethnic group from the Central Highlands of Western New Guinea in Baliem Valley, Highland Papua, Indonesia. They mark celebrations with Pig feasts. Women heat stones in a fire over a pit, until they are extremely hot, then cuts of meat and pieces of sweet potato or banana are wrapped inside banana leaves and lowered into the pit. The remaining hot stones are placed on top and the pit is covered in grass and a cover to keep steam in.

 

 

 

Making Together by K M Asad, 2020

Muslims prepare a feast before the Friday prayer in a field close to the congregation ground during the first day of the three-day long Muslim Congregation, Biswa Ijtema, at Tongi near Dhaka, Bangladesh.

 

 

 

Many a Slip by John Armstrong-Millar, 1st, 2021

The cake-cutting ceremony is an important part of wedding proceedings. But it doesn’t always go to plan…

 

 

 

Happy Birthday by Li Huaifeng, 1st, 2021

An intimate birthday celebration in Licheng in the Shanxi province of China.

 

 

 

Venetian Opulence by Marina Spironetti, Highly Commended, 2020

The Carnival of Venice, or Carnevale di Venezia, is a historic festival dating back to the 12th century, known for its elaborate masks, stunning costumes, and vibrant parades. Originally, the Carnival was a time when social classes blended, and people, regardless of status, could mingle and celebrate anonymously behind masks. Over time, this anonymity became central to the celebration, allowing Venetians to set aside societal norms and indulge in festivities freely.

People dress up in elaborate, often historical, costumes and ornate masks to recreate this sense of mystery and luxury that defines Venetian tradition. Here, a couple in their costumes enjoy lunch at the famous Cafe Florian.

 

 

 

Food For More Light by Kazi Golam Quddus Helal, 3rd, 2019

This is one of the annual prayer programs for some Hindu people. In the dawn and in the evening, worshippers get together, take a holy bath, sacrifice holy food to the God of the day and pray to the God for peace and prosperity. Women worshippers begin their fast after the bathing prayer.

 

 

 

Grand Aoili by Susan Bell, 2nd, 2019

Food writer Caroline Craig and her grandfather setting up for a 'Grand Aoili' in the family olive grove, Provence.

'Grand Aoili' is a traditional Provençal meal centred around a generous serving of aïoli—a garlicky, homemade mayonnaise-like sauce made from garlic, egg yolks, olive oil, and sometimes a hint of lemon. The dish is celebrated in southern France as a communal, festive meal, where the aïoli serves as the centrepiece for dipping an array of accompanying foods.

 

 

 

Red Bean Paste Balls by Zhonghua Yang, Overall Winner, 2024

In the rural area of Xiangshan, Zhejiang people are busy with preparations for a feast to celebrate Spring Festival, also known as Lunar New Year. This includes the tradition of making dim sum, such as red bean dumplings, steamed rice cakes and glutinous rice cake, each of which has a legacy of traditional craftsmanship.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday by Karolina Krasuska, 3rd, 2022

Birthdays are for businesses too! Celebrating 35 years of Larkins Brewery in Chiddingstone, Kent with owner Bob Dockerty.

 

 

 

Dinner with the King and Queen by Jonas Borg, 1st, 2023

‘Sverigemiddagen’, the Dinner of Sweden, is an annual event held at the Royal Castle in Stockholm. The Dinner celebrates individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to their local communities. Invited guests are honoured for their achievements and are hosted by the King and Queen of Sweden at a grand dinner.

 

 

 

Cauldron Noodles by Jianhui Liao, Overall Winner, 2019

Every year from the first to eighteenth day of the Lunar calendar, villagers of Hebei Province, China wear Qing Dynasty costumes to celebrate Nvwa's birthday and eat big pots of noodles at noon.

 

 

 

Kulasai Dasara by Udayan Sankar Pal, Highly Commended, 2024

Kulasai Dasara is a yearly festival that happens in October at Tamilnadu in India. The festival is centred around the goddess Mutharamman and is celebrated with intense devotion, folk performances and dramatic costumes.

The festival includes traditional South Indian dishes that are often simple yet significant, aligning with the spirit of devotion. Many devotees observe fasting or partake in vegetarian meals, consuming offerings made of rice, dal, and coconut.

 

 

 

Orthodox Easter: Blessing of the Loaves by Ari Kellerman, 2nd, 2024

An Easter blessing in the northernmost region of Romania, Maramures. Time stands still in this rural village along the Ukrainian border. The town elder and parish priest prays over the communal food in their 18th century wooden church. Only remnants remain of the wall to wall iconography but a light exists here.

 

 

 

A Big Pot of Mutton by Liu Min, Highly Commended, 2024

Taken in Huan County, Qingyang City, Gansu Province. “When I went to photograph the opening ceremony of a tourist attraction, I noticed a large pot about 4 metres in diameter with steaming lamb cooking in it,” says Liu Min. “It made my mouth water, and I immediately captured it.”

 

 

 

Special Food for the Couple by Sohel Ahmed, 3rd, 2021

In Bangladesh, it is a tradition to serve a full cooked goat on the husband’s table on his wedding day and the groom, along with everyone else, sharee the food together to celebrate.

 

 

 

Let them eat cake! By Lynne Kennedy, 1st, 2024

Lucy, Tony and their children made the long journey from Kent to the Isle of Skye to get married. They didn't want to transport a traditional wedding cake all that way, so their cakemaker produced these fabulous little 'cakes in containers' for them. We found a spot by the historical Sligachan Bridge and they tucked in!

 

 

 

Christmas goose by Lukasz Smudzinski, Highly Commended, 2014

At Christmas, traditional foods vary widely by country, culture, and family, but turkey and goose are two classic choices, especially in Western traditions.

 

 

 

Wedding Feast by Karolina Wiercigroch, Highly Commended, 2020

A typical wedding feast at an Uzbek wedding in Arslanbob, Kyrgyzstan. Guests gather around a cloth or rug called dastorkon to share a celebratory meal. There's shorpo (lamb broth), plov with lamb and lots of fruit, sweets and bread. Part of the celebration is held separately for men and women.

 

 

 

Traditional Skill by Ying Chen, 1st, 2022

A family gathers together in a small farmhouse in China for the cherished tradition of making dumplings for New Year celebrations. Dumplings, shaped similarly to ancient Chinese gold ingots, represent prosperity and financial success for the coming year. The act of making and eating dumplings with family also emphasises unity and strengthens family bonds, which is highly valued in the culture.

In some regions, including the one in Ying Chen’s photograph, a wooden seal is used to stamp characters meaning "fortune" "good luck" or "happiness" onto the dough. The dough is red, a colour associated with luck and protection in Chinese culture, to add to the auspicious nature of the dumplings, making them powerful symbols of hope and prosperity for the coming year.

 

 

 

Have you taken a photograph of a food aspect of a celebratory occasion? Enter our Champagne Taittinger Food for Celebration category or Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer category if it’s a wedding related image.