Picture credit: Jonathan Gregson

The gallery will showcase 400 images chosen from more than 6,000 entered into the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2014.

They include people cooking, farming and celebrating food and were selected by a judging panel that included Jamie Oliver’s photographer David Loftus.

The winner of the £5,000 top prize will be announced on 23 April and the best 100 photos are due to go on display at the Mall Galleries in London from 24-27 April.

Last month, the contest’s UK founder, Caroline Kenyon, spoke out after a reported crackdown on restaurant diners taking pictures of their meals.

She urged chefs to ‘embrace’ food photography.

Her comments followed reports that Gilles Goujon, who runs a Michelin-starred restaurant in southern France, said it was ‘poor etiquette’ to take photos of food and claimed it infringed his ‘intellectual property’ rights when they appear on social networks.

Kenyon told Amateur Photographer (AP): ‘They [chefs] are being paid a compliment and are given publicity if the pictures are transmitted on social media. It may be an idea to embrace it rather than being hostile…’

In 2013, the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year saw a 70% rise in the number of entries.

To view the shortlisted entries visit www.pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com from Friday 28 March.