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More allegations of plagiarism against Chef
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READ ON: Setback for Brooke Bellamy amid claims of plagiarism accusations
Nagi Maehashi, a cookbook author and blogger, alleges that the renowned chef Bill Granger is among those whose creations were copied by baker Brooke Bellamy.
Ms. Maehashi caused quite an uproar earlier this week when she accused the ex-travel blogger turned baker of replicating two of her recipes—caramel slice and baklava—in her cookbook titled “Bake with Brooki.”
Ms. Bellamy strongly refuted the claims and issued a statement through her legal representatives.
She stated, ‘I don’t replicate others’ recipes,’
Similar to numerous bakers, I find motivation from traditional recipes, yet the treats showcased at Brooki Bakehouse embody my personal journey, flavor preferences, and zeal for baking, cultivated through countless afternoons in my youth alongside my mother in our family kitchen.
In conversation with Good Food, Ms. Maehashi verified social media speculation suggesting that Bake with Brooki might have replicated a Portuguese tart recipe from Granger’s book “Every Day,” originally published in 2006.
It is very clear to me that the instructions in the methodology section of the recipe are nearly identical,” stated Ms. Maehashi. “To my mind, this represents the most significant and compelling case of plagiarism by this author that I have encountered.
I was utterly astonished upon discovering this. Bill is a legendary figure in the Australian culinary world. Once I realized its significance, I understood that incorporating it into my narrative would enhance its impact; however, I omitted it at the behest of Bill’s relatives.
The publishing director at Murdoch Books, Jane Morrow, issued a statement saying: “We have taken notice of the claims regarding plagiarism involving an uncited usage of a recipe by Bill Granger. We treat any assertion about his work being replicated without proper acknowledgment with great seriousness. At present, we are examining the issues brought forward.”
Sally McKenney, an American-based baker, similarly claimed that Ms. Bellamy utilized her vanilla cake recipe following Ms. Maehishi informing her of the controversy.
Ms. Maehashi stated that she decided to go public with her claims to encourage individuals “to be accountable for what they do” and to serve as a reminder to social media personalities and publishers that taking someone else’s content without permission is unacceptable.
However, she continued to empathize with Ms. Bellamy following the torrent of online backlash she had experienced.
Ms. Maehashi stated on Instagram on Thursday: “I was aware that this comment would provoke an overwhelming amount of hatred directed at me, and social media certainly didn’t disappoint. I urge you all to cease the individual assaults on Brooke Bellamy. This isn’t how one should express their thoughts, nor is it the type of backing I seek.”
Ms. Maehashi informed Penguin Books several months back about the similarities among two of her recipes and those in Granger’s book, “Bake with Brooki.”
The company Penguin refuted the claims through their legal representatives, stating: “Our client respectfully denies the accusations made by your client and affirms that the recipes featured in ‘[Bake with Brooki]’ were authored by Brooke Bellamy,” as reported by Maehashi.
Proving theft of a recipe can be challenging, especially since dishes such as baklava, caramel slice, and Portuguese custard tarts have evolved through numerous adaptations over time.
Acclaimed chef and restaurant owner Luke Mangan flipped the script and charged RecipeTin Eats with failing to appropriately acknowledge him for one of his recipes.
He mentioned that although Ms. Maehashi acknowledged him with a footnote credit in her book and online for a butter chicken recipe he originally shared, she should have contacted him beforehand and included a hyperlink to his website.
“I can’t definitively state whether she reached out to seek permission or not from her memory alone, but typically, one would think about contacting the individual who originally created the recipe,” he mentioned.
‘Every recipe in my seven books is protected by copyright; we hold the rights, as these creations are considered our intellectual property.’
Ms. Maehashi’s site, RecipeTin Eats, boasts 1.5 million followers on Instagram and she has penned award-winning cookbooks titled “Dinner” and “Tonight.”
Ms. Bellamy rapidly gained worldwide fame following her shared videos on TikTok, attracting millions of daily views.
She gained recognition primarily for her cookies and has launched temporary shops in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Ms. Maehashi stated that she was not well-versed in copyright infringement, yet she employed a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property.
Ms. Bellamy stated through her legal representatives: “Although baking allows room for artistic expression, it also relies heavily on precision and follows specific formulas. Numerous recipes inevitably include similar procedures and measurements; otherwise, they wouldn’t be effective.”
Her main focus currently is to guarantee the well-being of her exceptional team at Brooki Bakehouse as well as that of her family, she stated.
The owner of the Brooki Bakehouse based in Brisbane was set to be named as an ambassador for the Academy for Enterprising Girls, an initiative aimed at assisting students develop entrepreneurial skills with the goal of starting their own businesses someday.
However, she was removed from her position as the ambassador due to allegations of plagiarism.
‘Brooke Bellamy has been entrusted with overseeing a limited series of promotional events for the Academy for EnterprisingGirls program in the upcoming months,’ stated an official from the academy toDaily Mail Australia.
‘While we make no legal assessment on the allegations aired in the media, we have informed Bellamy that we will not move forward with the engagement at this time.’
It should not be inferred that the allegations of plagiarism against Bellamy are accurate; rather, it is merely stated that these claims have been raised.
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