More Food Bloggers Join in Accusations That an Influencer Allegedly Plagiarized Recipes in Her Best-Selling Cookbook

Food Bloggers Accuse Food Influencer of Alleged Recipe Plagiarism

Recently, the culinary world has been rocked by allegations of recipe plagiarism involving a prominent food influencer. Australian baker Brooke Bellamy has been accused by food bloggers Nagi Maehashi of RecipeTin Eats and Sally McKenney from Sally’s Baking Addiction of plagiarizing their recipes in her highly successful cookbook.

The controversy came to light when Nagi Maehashi took to her food blog to reveal her ongoing battle with Brooke Bellamy and the publisher of her cookbook, Penguin Random House Australia. Maehashi claimed that her own recipes, along with those of other authors, were allegedly copied and included in Bellamy’s best-selling book, ‘Bake with Brooki’.

According to Maehashi, the accusations of recipe plagiarism date back to November 2024. A reader pointed out striking similarities between Bellamy’s caramel slice recipe and one from Maehashi’s collection. Further investigation by Maehashi unveiled resemblances between her baklava recipe and a similar one in Bellamy’s cookbook, leading to raised suspicions of plagiarism.

In response to the allegations, Penguin Random House Australia reportedly denied the claims, prompting Maehashi to escalate the issue. Despite reaching out to the publishers in December, Maehashi felt disappointed by their reaction, which she described as legal intimidation. The situation escalated as more allegedly plagiarized recipes from various bakers surfaced.

Sally McKenney later joined the conversation, affirming that one of her recipes was also allegedly plagiarized in Bellamy’s cookbook. McKenney expressed her support for Maehashi and stressed the importance of original recipe creators receiving due credit, particularly in a widely circulated cookbook.

In a statement shared on her Instagram Stories, Brooke Bellamy refuted the accusations, asserting that the recipes in question were products of her own creation. She defended her culinary experience and heritage, highlighting her long-standing passion for baking since childhood. Bellamy also addressed the similarities between her recipe and Maehashi’s, citing a pre-existing recipe from 2016.

Despite Bellamy’s denial, a revised edition of her cookbook was released featuring a different caramel slice recipe. The ongoing dispute has not only raised concerns within the food blogging community but also highlighted the importance of acknowledging and respecting original creators in the culinary industry.

As the accusations of recipe plagiarism continue to unfold, the culinary world is left grappling with questions of integrity and attribution. The outcome of this controversy remains uncertain, as the involved parties navigate the complexities of intellectual property rights and creative ownership in the realm of food writing and publishing.

Efforts to reach out to Nagi Maehashi, Brooke Bellamy, Sally McKenney, and Penguin Random House Australia for comments have been unfruitful. The silence from the accused parties adds another layer of intrigue to this unfolding saga, leaving the food blogging community and readers alike eager for further developments in this compelling narrative.