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Chef Gets Revenge After Cookbook Plagiarism Scandal!

BBG News

At a highly esteemed literary event, renowned chefs Nagi Maehashi and Brooke Bellamy engaged in a friendly competition – with just one exceptional cook taking home the prize.

I proudly departed from the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA), which took place at Zinc Fed Square in Melbourne on a Wednesday evening, clutching the award for Illustrated Book of the Year – a testament to my cookbook, RecipeTin Eats: Tonight.

In a twist of events, social media star and Brisbane-based baker, Bellamy, found herself nominated for an award, but not without controversy surrounding her cookbook titled “Bake with Brooki.” Allegedly, the book is said to contain recipes that have been plagiarized, as claimed by Maehashi.

In a brief video prior to her victory, Maehashi expressed feelings of both excitement and apprehension about being recognized during the event.

Bellamy was a no-show on the night. 

On the ABIA’s Instagram account, a straightforward announcement was made: ‘The 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) Illustrated Book of the Year goes to RecipeTin Eats: Tonight, by Nagi Maehashi, published by Macmillan. Huge congratulations!’

The event handed out 23 accolades in a range of categories.

This week, the ongoing dispute between the two chefs has taken a new turn, sparked by accusations of plagiarism that led to a heated argument.

The latest development in the chef feud occurred this week due to intense claims of plagiarism, leading to an argument.

Last week, Maehashi ignited a flurry of controversy by alleging that a previous travel blogger, now baker, had plagiarized her caramel slice and baklava recipes.

On April 29th, the founder of RecipeTin Eats initially raised concerns, publishing an extensive blog post on her site and a sequence of slides on her Instagram account.

In December, Maehashi expressed worries to Penguin publishing, as a reader pointed out striking resemblances between her caramel slice recipe and the one recently published in “Bake with Brooki”.

As a devoted lifestyle enthusiast, I pour countless hours into crafting exceptional recipes, and I’m delighted to make these culinary gems accessible to everyone by sharing them freely on my personal website.

Reading that someone else has copied and profited from your work, without giving you credit, doesn’t merely seem unjust. It appears to be a brazen misuse and exploitation of what is rightfully yours.

It seems to me that the resemblance between these particular recipes is so precise and thorough that labeling it as a mere coincidence appears insincere.

Maehashi added that profiting from plagiarised recipes was ‘unethical’. 

She wrote, “It’s an insult to any writer who diligently crafts unique material instead of taking shortcuts, as if they were being struck on the cheek.

Maehashi also claimed Bellamy plagiarised other authors, which she did not name. 

Yet, following the initial accusations, renowned U.S. baker Sally McKenney, known as Sally’s Baking Addiction, asserted on Instagram that Bellamy was not only accused of plagiarizing her vanilla cake recipe but had also done so.

In two days, Maehashi stated that it appeared Bellamy had closely replicated, almost verbatim, the Portuguese tart recipe from Bill Granger’s 2006 cookbook.

Maehashi shared with East Coast Media that it’s quite apparent to her that the wording in the method section of the recipe closely resembles a direct copy.

‘To me, it is the biggest and strongest example of plagiarism that I have seen by this author.’  

In response to the accusations, both Penguin and Bellamy asserted their innocence. Bellamy specifically claimed that she had already been crafting and marketing her own recipes prior to the publication of Maehashi’s work.

Bellamy stated that he didn’t copy any recipes from other sources for his book containing 100 original recipes he developed over a long period.

Since October 2016, I’ve been running my own bakery, which I established in the year 2016. It’s here that I’ve been developing and marketing my unique recipes.

Bellamy expressed her profound concern over the accusations, as well as the fact that she has been targeted with malicious comments from internet bullies on social media platforms.

‘I do not copy other people’s recipes,’ Bellamy said. 

Similar to numerous bakers, I often find inspiration in traditional recipes. However, the unique pastries you find at Brooki Bakehouse are a reflection of my personal journey, flavor preferences, and deep-rooted love for baking, cultivated from countless hours I spent baking alongside my mother during my childhood.

The Brisbane baker immediately agreed to eliminate those specific recipes from any future editions to avoid any more disputes.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: Following some harsh online criticism from trolls, I’ve decided to seek solace at my residence in Brisbane and requested privacy. In response, I’ve made the decision to make my personal Instagram account private.

By using “I” in the first person and simplifying the language, the sentence maintains its original meaning while becoming more conversational and easy to understand.

‘The past 24 hours have been extremely overwhelming,’ she said in a statement last week.

I’ve faced criticism from various media sources beyond my home and workplace, and also encountered negative comments online. This has caused significant distress among my coworkers and young family members.

Baking offers room for creativity, but it also involves a great deal of precision and adherence to certain formulas due to its scientific nature.

‘Many recipes are bound to share common steps and measures: if they don’t, they simply don’t work.

Currently, my focus is on safeguarding both the wellbeing of the talented Brooki Bakehouse team and my beloved family.

In a video posted on Instagram, Maehashi kindly asked social media users, admirers, and well-wishers to give Bellamy some space.

‘Please stop the trolling,’ Maehashi said.

While I’ve raised significant claims, it doesn’t mean it’s acceptable for the harsh criticism or personal assaults aimed at Brooke Bellamy that I’ve witnessed on the internet.

I’m against it, so please cease. I understand that only a minute fraction of internet users engage in this behavior. I’m well aware that most people are kind, enjoyable, and ordinary individuals.

Feel free to express your thoughts, engage in thoughtful discussions, even if they oppose ours, and show allegiance to Brooki or myself. You may find fault with us, think we’re less than perfect, or simply remain neutral – the choice is yours! However, please maintain a respectful tone and avoid any form of trolling or hate speech.

Maehashi mentioned that Penguin refuted the accusations through their legal representatives, stating: “Regarding your client’s claims, our client, respectfully, does not agree and verifies that the recipes in [Bake with Brooki] were penned by Brooke Bellamy.

In a controversy surrounding unappetizing meals, Bellamy was removed as the ambassador for the federal program, Academy for Enterprising Girls.

Additionally, Maehashi encountered criticism from renowned chef Luke Mangan, who claimed that she did not give him proper credit for a recipe she included in one of her cookbooks.

RecipeTin Eats boasts an impressive following of approximately 1.5 million people on Instagram, and author Maehashi is renowned for penning award-winning cookbooks titled “Dinner” and “Tonight.”

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RecipeTin Eats has a large presence on Instagram with about 1.5 million followers, while Maehashi has penned award-winning cookbooks called “Dinner” and “Tonight”.

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With around 1.5 million followers on Instagram, RecipeTin Eats is well-known, and Maehashi has written acclaimed cookbooks titled “Dinner” and “Tonight.

In no time at all, Bellamy gained worldwide fame due to the numerous videos he posted on TikTok, attracting millions of views daily.

She is best known for her cookies and has opened pop-up stores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

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2025-05-07 15:34

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