Brisbane bakery owner and social media influencer Brooke Bellamy has withdrawn from a collaboration with a federal initiative aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship among young girls. This decision comes on the heels of allegations of recipe plagiarism levelled against her by US baker Sally McKenney.
The Academy for Enterprising Girls, the programme supporting this initiative, has since announced that Bellamy will not proceed with planned promotional events. A spokesperson for the academy clarified that the events had not yet occurred and that they would not be moving forward with Bellamy’s engagement while remaining neutral on the claims made about her.
Backed by the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia, the Academy for Enterprising Girls conducts career workshops in schools, focusing on innovation, design thinking, and technology skills to empower students.
In response to the accusations, Bellamy issued a statement vehemently denying any wrongdoing. She described the past day as overwhelming, citing intense media scrutiny and online backlash that have impacted her personal and professional life, including her young family.
Bellamy stated, “I do not copy other people’s recipes. Like many bakers, I draw inspiration from the classics, but the creations at Brooki Bakehouse are a reflection of my own experiences and passion for baking.” She elaborated on the nature of baking, explaining that while it allows for creativity, it also requires precise science, leading to the inevitability of shared techniques among various recipes.
Her main concern at this time is for her family’s welfare and the wellbeing of her team at Brooki Bakehouse. The ongoing situation underscores the challenges faced by public figures in the culinary world, especially regarding creativity and originality in recipe development.
9news.com.au has clarified that it does not make any assertions about the veracity of the allegations, only reporting that they have been made.