Here are the best twelve photos as decided by the judges. Costa Rica wins "Best Photo"!

All bar two include one or more ribbons, or a Professional’s plaque or the Chaîne emblem. After all it is these symbols which are important for us all. Wearing or displaying them identifies us all as Chaîne members around the world, especially important in this very unusual year.

The judges wished to emphasise this by focusing on such photos in the selection, all the while looking for warm home feelings, good food pictures and innovative use of the logo.

An observation which comes from the photos this year is the deep importance of Chaîne membership to all participants in World Chaîne Day. The Confrérie is clearly not just about formal dinners and fine dining, camaraderie and friendship around a common subject are important. And ribbons are carried not as a duty or obligation, but with much pride.

Ari-Pekka Parviainen
Chair, World Chaîne Day Committee
Member of the Conseil d’Administration

The Photo Competition Panel of Judges comprises:

- Ari-Pekka Parviainen, Member of the Conseil d’Administration, Conseiller Gastronomique Honoraire (Finland)
- Ruma Singh, Chargée de Presse Honoraire (India)
- Tomaz Dular, Grand Officier (Slovenia)

International Vice President Marie Jones acts as a consultant in her capacity as Managing Editor of the international Chaîne News On-line website and the “Revue internationale”, the Chaîne’s international magazine.

Commentary by Ari-Pekka Parviainen, Chair of the Panel of Judges

Best photo - Winner: Costa Rica
(submitted by Alex Taulère, son of the Bailli Délégué)
So stunning and has taken a lot effort to set up. We liked the colours and reflections in this photo. It has some lovely humour and the idea to go bottom of the pool itself is crazy - nothing to do with sense. Also displays kind of a modern approach to being a Chaîne member.

Best photo Runner-up: Belgium
(submitted by Maître Rôtisseur Bart Tanghe)
Very simple and calm composition, only few elements but it is telling a clear story, there’s pasta or pastry coming for one family. Superior quality lighting. Almost monochrome black and white feeling.

Best photo - Third Place: Italy
(Bailli Délégué Roberto Zanghi with his wife Petra and daughter Francesca - dining on the terrace at home)
Colourful photo showing two generations of a sincere three Chaîne member family. Fine colours and happy, celebratory feeling at home. Reflects a delightfully positive feeling despite all the restrictions this year.

The next nine photos are all classified as Fourth equal – just like the Chaîne does for the competitors in the Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs and Junior Sommeliers.
NB. They are not listed in any particular order.

India
(Rahul Nagpal, Professionnel de la Table)
Another type of family image. Charming, well-balanced photographic composition - essentially with only two colours: yellow and blue. And the eyes of the baby - and how it looks at the father’s glass - are so intense.

Mexico
(Bailli Délégué Thierry Blouet at work preparing a family lunch at home)
Outstanding professional-calibre cooking at home for seven. Delicate souffle with excellent success rate in getting them to rise. This photo has tranquil light colours and an invitingly deep composition leading the eye to the cook’s fingers as the main focus. It is good to notice that ribbons are used also at home cooking.

Italy
(Bailliage of Calabria - Maître Rôtisseur Immacolata Giorgini at work)
Happy smiling lady Maître Rôtisseur with huge pasta casserole. She is clearly proud of her cooking. The apron being worn with a Professional member’s ribbon gives homely cosy feeling.

Mexico
(Bailliage of Cancún - Maître Hôtelier Francesco Flores)
This is a serious barbecue! A huge steak grilled with skill and waiting to be cut - how best to do it is clearly being considered. Now we are in the heart of being member of the Chaîne. And there’s a splendid Californian Cabernet in the glass!

China
(Bailliage of Shanghai - Officier Maître Rôtisseur Jean-Baptiste Berguerand)
Admirable photo featuring high quality consommé style soup. Clearness of the broth is seen excellently and flow downwards is caught magnificently. Minimal elements and colours repeated in the background make for a strong image.

Kenya
(Bailli Délégué Shabnam Nayer & Bailli Honoraire Gurdeep Nayer - barbecue)
Attractive, vibrant photo from a colourful culture. Fresh ingredients with opposing colours (green/red) gives power to this image and of course the principal element is the perfectly-grilled giant tomahawk. Delicious photo with the World Chaîne Day logo included nicely in the background.

Mexico
(Officier Rosa Casas-Blouet setting the table for lunch at home with husband Bailli Délégué Thierry Blouet and their family)
Sunny photo with admirable distortion of Chaîne plaque through the wine glass. Colourful dinner table at home, showing appreciation for membership by having a plaque on table (albeit the old design). Having been taken using natural light boosted by strong sunshine gives a relaxed afternoon feeling.

USA
(Bailliage of Seattle - Chef Rôtisseur Brandon LaVielle)
Genuine joy of the chef making a thumbs-up toast with a glass of red wine. A simply-taken photo from a technical point of view but the content caught the attention of the judges. The facial expression and overall exuberance are quite captivating. Again, reflecting all the pleasure embodied in the concept of World Chaîne Day.

China
(Bailliage of Shenzhen - featuring from left to right: Chevalier René Forster, Michele Zabirro, Eugene O’Hagan)
This photo has caught the palpable crazy humour of the moment. This you cannot set up. Three fellows acting the fool expresses well the camaraderie and friendship of Chaîne membership. And social distancing seems to be somewhere else for this trio!