Nagi Maehashi from RecipeTin Eats recently triumphed over Brooke Bellamy of Brooki Bakehouse at the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA), winning the Illustrated Book of the Year for her work, RecipeTin Eats: Tonight. This victory comes just a week after Maehashi made allegations of plagiarism against Bellamy, which 9news.com.au clarifies are allegations and not assertions of guilt.
Maehashi’s achievement is notable as she has secured this award for the second time, competing against five other finalists, including Bellamy, who was absent from the awards due to overseas business commitments. Following the plagiarism accusations, Bellamy responded, highlighting that, like many bakers, she draws inspiration from traditional recipes. She emphasised that her creations at Brooki Bakehouse stem from her unique experiences, shaped by fond childhood memories of baking with her mother.
In her defence, Bellamy noted that while baking holds room for creativity, it is fundamentally a precise science that often necessitates a formulaic approach. Consequently, she pointed out that many recipes might have overlapping elements in their steps and measurements; a lack of commonality in these aspects could lead to unsuccessful results.