Just days prior to an industry awards event, prominent Australian cookbook author Nagi Maehashi accused fellow author Brooke Bellamy of plagiarism. The situation, which arose after Maehashi alleged that Bellamy had lifted elements from her free recipes on RecipeTin Eats, highlights the complexities surrounding recipe writing and originality. This turmoil intensified when American author Sally McKenney also claimed that one of her recipes was copied by Bellamy.
Bellamy has refuted the allegations, asserting that she had been crafting her recipes prior to the publication of Maehashi’s. In a recent interview, Maehashi accused Bellamy of replicating a recipe for Portuguese custard tarts "virtually word for word" from Bill Granger’s cookbook, coincidentally published in a year when Granger passed away.
Bellamy’s bakery, Brooki Bakehouse, launched in 2022, saw her rapidly rise to fame, boasting two million followers on TikTok. Her debut cookbook, Bake with Brooki, quickly became a bestseller, trailing only Maehashi’s in popularity last Christmas. Following Maehashi’s claims, Bellamy’s social media ratings have sharply declined, and she has faced significant backlash, including the loss of an ambassador role and unwarranted media attention at her residence.
The controversy raises questions about the originality of recipes. While all recipes share common ingredients and methods, the line between inspiration and plagiarism can be blurred. Intellectual property expert Frances St John noted that while copyright protects written work in Australia, proving infringement in culinary contexts is often challenging. Adam Liaw, a former intellectual property lawyer turned chef, pointed out that true originality in recipe creation is exceptionally rare, and many chefs base their work on established classics.
The process of recipe development, particularly in a competitive environment, involves a delicate balance. Maehashi’s ongoing accusations stem from striking similarities in ingredient lists and preparation methods between her recipes and those in Bellamy’s book. While many recipes inherently rely on common practices, Maehashi argues that the level of similarity in her compared recipes goes beyond coincidence.
In Bellamy’s defence, she claimed her recipes reflect her own experiences, born from years of childhood baking. Despite her assertion of originality, industry insights indicate that many authors adapt recipes from classics, often without clear attribution, which complicates matters of ownership and credit.
The outcome of this dispute may hinge on factors such as causal connection, as highlighted by St John, who noted that proving that Bellamy directly referenced Maehashi’s recipes could strengthen the case for copyright infringement. Maehashi has since sought legal guidance and expressed her willingness to have shared credit for her recipes with Bellamy.
As the culinary world watches closely, the case underscores broader issues about originality, citation, and the ethics of recipe writing, revealing the tension between creative expression and legal obligations within the industry.