Renowned food creators Nagi Maehashi and Sally McKenney have publicly accused Australian TikTok influencer Brooke Bellamy of plagiarizing their recipes in her recent cookbook. Ms. Bellamy disputes the claims, insisting her creations are original and offering to remove the contentious recipes from future editions.
Australian Influencer Accused of Recipe Theft by Cookbook Authors
Australian Influencer Accused of Recipe Theft by Cookbook Authors
TikTok baker Brooke Bellamy faces allegations from Nagi Maehashi and Sally McKenney for copying their recipes in her debut cookbook.
Two well-known cookbook authors, Nagi Maehashi and Sally McKenney, have leveled accusations against Australian TikTok influencer Brooke Bellamy, claiming that she has copied their recipes in her recently published cookbook, "Bake with Brooki." Maehashi, the mastermind behind the hugely popular RecipeTin Eats website, asserts that similarities between her caramel slice and baklava recipes and those in Bellamy's book are too extensive to ignore.
Bellamy, who has garnered a large following—over two million on TikTok—through her baking content, has denied these plagiarism allegations. She insists that her book consists of "100 recipes I have created over many years," and even claims that one recipe in question predates Maehashi’s version.
The controversy unfolded when Maehashi received a tip from a reader, highlighting the "remarkable similarities" in her recipes and those featured in Bellamy's best-seller. While Maehashi has engaged legal counsel to address her concerns and contact the book’s publisher, Penguin Random House Australia, both the publisher and Bellamy have staunchly denied any wrongdoing.
Bellamy's "Bake with Brooki," launched in October 2024, has generated significant commercial success, selling A$4.6 million worth of copies. Despite the ongoing disputes, Bellamy has offered to remove the contested recipes in future print runs to mitigate the situation and expressed her respect for Maehashi.
Additionally, US author Sally McKenney has also accused Bellamy of copying her vanilla cake recipe. McKenney emphasized that astute credit is due to original recipe creators, especially when their work appears in a successful cookbook. The conflict signifies an ongoing dialogue in the culinary space regarding originality and inspiration, a hallmark of today's food blogging culture.
