RecipeTin Eat's Nagi Maehashi accuses baker Brooke Bellamy of copying famous baker's recipe
Ms Maehashi sparked a firestorm this week when she alleged the former travel blogger-turned-baker copied two of her recipes for caramel slice, and baklava in her book Bake with Brooki.
Ms Bellamy strenuously denied the allegations and made a statement via her lawyers.
'I do not copy other people's recipes,' she said.
'Like many bakers, I draw inspiration from the classics, but the creations you see at Brooki Bakehouse reflect my own experience, taste and passion for baking, born of countless hours of my childhood spent in my home kitchen with Mum.'
Speaking with Good Food, Ms Maehashi confirmed social media rumours that Bake with Brooki may have copied a Portuguese tart recipe from Granger's book Every Day, which was published in 2006.
'It is so blatant to me that the wording in the method part of the recipe is copied almost exactly. To me, it is the biggest and strongest example of plagiarism that I have seen by this author,' Ms Maehashi said.
'I was so shocked when I saw it. Bill is an icon of the Australian food scene. When I became aware of it, I knew that including it in my statement would make it stronger, but I left it out at the request of Bill's family.'
Publishing director of Murdoch Books Jane Morrow released a statement that read: 'We are aware of the allegations of plagiarism involving the uncredited use of a recipe by Bill Granger. We take any suggestion that his work has been reproduced without acknowledgement seriously. We are currently reviewing the concerns raised.'
American-based baker Sally McKenney also alleged that Ms Bellamy used her vanilla cake recipe after Ms Maehashi told her about the scandal.
Ms Maehashi said she went public with the allegations because she wanted people 'to take responsibility for their actions and to remind influencers and publishers that stealing work is not okay'.
But she still sympathised with Ms Bellamy after the swell of criticism she'd received online.
Ms Maehashi said on Instagram on Thursday: 'I made the statement knowing that it would come with a barrage of hate against me, and social media did not let me down. I'm asking you to stop the personal attacks against Brooke Bellamy. That's not the way to speak your mind and that's not the kind of support I want.'
Ms Maehashi told Penguin Books months ago about the resemblances between two of her recipes, along with Granger's, in Bake with Brooki.
Penguin denied the allegations, saying via their lawyers: 'Our client respectfully rejects your client's allegations and confirms that the recipes in [Bake with Brooki] were written by Brooke Bellamy', according to Maehashi.
It's hard to prove recipe plagiarism, particularly when recipes like baklava, caramel slice and Portuguese custard tarts are varieties of recipes that have been tweaked many times over the years.
Award-winning chef and restaurateur Luke Mangan turned the tables and accused RecipeTin Eats of not crediting him properly for one of his dishes.
He said that while Ms Maehashi did provide a footnote credit to him for a butter chicken recipe she had used online and in her book, she should have got in touch to say she was using it, and added a link to his website.
'I couldn't say off the top of my head whether she did reach out and ask permission or not, but I would have thought, in general, you would contact the person whose recipe it was,' he said.
'All of my recipes in my (seven) books are copyrighted, we own them, they are our intellectual property.'
Ms Maehashi's website, RecipeTin Eats, has 1.5million followers on Instagram and she has also authored award-winning cookbooks Dinner and Tonight.
Ms Bellamy quickly became a global sensation after sharing videos on TikTok, which receive millions of views every day.
She is best known for her cookies and has opened pop-up stores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Ms Maehashi said she wasn't across copyright infringement, but hired a lawyer specialising in intellectual property.
Ms Bellamy said in her statement via her lawyers: 'While baking has leeway for creativity, much of it is a precise science and is necessarily formulaic. Many recipes are bound to share common steps and measures: if they don't, they simply don't work.'
'My priority right now is to ensure the welfare of the fantastic team at Brooki Bakehouse and that of my family,' she said.
The Brisbane-based Brooki Bakehouse owner was due to be announced as an ambassador for the Academy for Enterprising Girls, which is an initiative designed to help students think like an entrepreneur and start their own business one day.
But she was dumped as the ambassador following plagiarism claims.
'Brooke Bellamy was recently engaged to conduct a small number of promotional activities for the Academy for Enterprising Girls program over the coming months,' an academy spokesman told Daily 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 is not suggested that the accusations of plagiarism against Bellamy are true, only that they have been made
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Strictly star addresses show 'curse' after huge change in marriage
EXCLUSIVE: Former X Factor star Fleur East tells of the emotional difficulties she faced making her West End debut in Tina - and why Strictly did wonders for her marriage She's currently wowing audiences in the West End with her searing portrayal of late superstar Tina Turne r at London's Aldwych Theatre. But Strictly star Fleur East has told how the emotional difficulties of the role pushed her to the brink and caused her to break down in front of the entire cast and crew. In an exclusive interview with OK!, the 37-year-old reveals that acting out the raw scenes of domestic abuse between Tina and her husband Ike left her feeling triggered. 'During rehearsals I did the hospital scene in front of the entire company and I just broke down and I was sobbing, just sobbing,' she says. 'I guess it allowed me to tap into the emotions of losing my father, I just really sobbed." The star, who recently confirmed her new career goals now she's a mum, added: 'But the director thanked me for allowing myself to be vulnerable in front of so many people, because apparently it's very hard to do. I am very green to acting.' Fleur, who is mum to 16-month-old daughter, Nova, lost her father Malcolm at the beginning of lockdown in March 2020. He died after suffering an unexpected heart attack. Tina – The Tina Turner Musical follows the pop legend's life, from growing up in the American deep south in the 1950s to becoming the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, and has scenes of racial tension that Fleur, as a woman of colour, found distressing. 'There's a lot of language from the time that's used, including the N-word, and in the beginning when that was said to my face in rehearsals, even though it was in character, it was really hard.' But Fleur also says she takes great inspiration from Tina's life journey. 'Her story shows that a woman's career doesn't have to be over at 40 — in fact Tina's career took off in her mid-forties. There can be an ageist attitude in showbiz that it's all over at 40, but at 40 women are in their prime. If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be performing in the West End a year after giving birth I would have laughed. But Tina's a great example that you can still keep pushing and still make it happen." Former X Factor competitor Fleur, who shot to fame as a solo act on the ITV talent show in 2014, will continue playing Tina until September, after which she'll return to her role hosting Strictly Come Dancing spin-off show It Takes Two , alongside Janette Manrara. Having also competed on Strictly , finishing as a runner-up in 2022 partnered with Vito Coppola, Fleur, who has been married for six years to French fashion designer Marcel Badiane-Robin, knows only too well the rumours of the show's famous 'curse'. But the singer has some advice for upcoming contestants. 'The way to avoid the Strictly curse is to stay attached to whatever your reality is,' she says. 'Because with all these shows — Strictly , the jungle and so on — it's really intense and it's like a bubble and it's easy to think, 'Oh this is my life.' But it's not real. When I was on Strictly my husband and sister came to every single live show for three months, they were the two in the audience, every single night.' In fact, for Fleur, the show helped spice up her marriage, and she says that far from falling victim to the curse, the chance to shine was a tonic for their relationship. 'For me and my husband,' she says, ' Strictly put the spark back into our relationship because you're feeling really fit and your partner's watching you perform at the weekend and because of the amazing wardrobe and make-up team you're looking amazing. It makes you fall in love with each other again because there's an element of when you're seeing your partner excelling at something they do, you go, 'Oh yeah, that's my partner,' and it makes you proud of them.' The Walthamstow-born star comes from a close-knit family and since the death of her father, she has grown even closer to her mother, Irene, and sister Keshia, with whom she has a haircare brand, Kurl Kitchen. Indeed, Fleur says that her family keep her grounded and she avoids the pitfalls of fame by involving them in all her career decisions. 'Whenever I have an offer I always sit my family down and tell them all about the opportunity. We discuss the pros and the cons and I listen to what they have to say. My husband is a fashion designer and I often wear his clothes on the red carpet. It's really important to involve my family in my journey.' Brought up in the 90s in a mixed-race family — her mother is from Ghana and her late father was English — Fleur says she was delighted to see Meghan Markle join the House of Windsor. 'When Meghan married Harry, that was such a big deal in our family, because my mum used to joke when I was growing up that she wanted me to marry Prince William. She'd say, 'One day you'll marry Prince William,' and I'd say, 'Mum, there's zero chance of that.' So when Meghan married Harry, we all thought, 'Wow, this is major.' I'll never forget the ceremony and seeing the Black priest in St George's Chapel and the gospel choir — for me it was a huge moment for the royal family.' Fleur, who described herself as 'very nervous' when she performed for the royal family at the VE Day celebrations earlier this year, hopes Meghan and Harry will come back to the royal fold and be back on the Buckingham Palace balcony one day. 'I don't really follow As Ever, but I still think it's great that Meghan is there as a brown princess. Hopefully they can patch things up with the King. There's so much we don't know, we don't know the relationships and what's going on behind the scenes.' Away from the bright lights of the showbiz circuit, Fleur is also fully immersed in motherhood, following the arrival of her daughter Nova last March. 'I had a home birth, it was hard because I had no other form of pain relief but gas and air — and the gas and air only arrived in the last few hours,' she recalls. 'It was very tough — I had to tap into a whole different area of my brain to find the strength to come through it. My husband was an amazing support. I was just rolling around naked on the floor until my daughter arrived. But I do feel so lucky that nothing went wrong.' Fleur says that, thanks to her upbringing, she didn't have body confidence issues growing up, and following in the footsteps of her own mother, she's happy to be naked at home. 'As it's been really hot recently, in the house I've just been walking around naked,' she says. 'My husband was laughing at me and saying, 'Look at you, just walking around naked!' 'And I say, 'I grew up in a household with a mum who did the same.' Mum was very confident and she just walked around naked and it was never spoken about. She was never shy or conscious of her body, it was very normal to see my mum's stomach covered in stretchmarks after having me and my sister. 'Now I have stretchmarks because I've just had a baby. In a way I am very grateful to my mum for that because I never had body confidence issues growing up and now I am doing the same for my child.'
Daily Mirror
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
American living in UK visits Poundland for the first time and shares honest verdict
A man couldn't believe his eyes when he went into Poundland, but then admitted he expected something completely different than what the popular shop actually offered An American in the UK visited Poundland for the first time, a staple on most British high streets, but he's been left feeling a little bit 'suspicious' of the shopping experience. TikTok user @kjordyyy, who is an American living in the UK, shared he had to check out the shop "for the name alone," possibly making the assumption that everything would be just £1. When he went through the entrance, he said he walked "approximately 10ft" and it was giving "Dollar General vibes," but he said: "Their things aren't a pound, which is kind of crazy" - and it's a conversation Brits have likely had between themselves again and again. He flipped the camera around to show some laundry detergent that was actually £3, rather than the £1 he thought it would be. "They also sell clothes as well," he said, as he explored the aisles of the store, likening it to a "low-key mini Walmart". He continued: "I'll be honest, most dollar stores back home are sort of dirty, dingy, but there's something so clean and sterile about this one. "Like it's so pristine, everything's so in order for a dollar store - pop off UK." But he did share he thought it should have a different name other than Poundland, joking it's good it wasn't called "Pound Town". Exploring some more of the store, he stumbled upon the Party Rings, saying his British friends shared with him they were a "staple" when they were growing up - but he never had them. He then filmed himself walking round saying he was "living the dream in Poundland" and he was "generally shook with the variety" of things you can buy in the shop. "It's not a big store from the outside," he shared, but "they have a little bit of everything" for you to buy. He joked: "I think I've explored every square inch of this store. I don't know what I was expecting from a Poundland, but it's pretty legit." TikTok user @kjordyyyy ended the video by asking his followers to recommend other "odd stores" to him, so he could visit. Someone suggested he needs to go to Home Bargains, joking he would "never leave" once he entered the shop, as there are so many cheap things. A woman wrote: "It used to cost £1 for items, now they're all different prices. I'm 29, but I've seen that change since my childhood. The future is bleak. Party rings are the best, though, so as long as they exist, it will bring me a small joy." Another pointed out there was actually a shop called Pound Town, saying: "There is genuinely a shop called Pound Town in Kingsbury (on the Jubilee line in London)."
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Harry Styles spotted enjoying Rome and Vatican with Belgian designer as ex-1D star continues love affair with Italy
The pair were also spotted wandering the back streets carrying a bottle of wine HARRY'S NEW ROME-ANCE Harry Styles spotted enjoying Rome and Vatican with Belgian designer as ex-1D star continues love affair with Italy HE has made no secret of his love for Italy – and now it seems Harry Styles is enjoying showing off his favourite spots there. The former One Direction singer was seen wandering through Vatican City and Rome with Belgian-Congolese designer Kim Mupangilai last Friday. 8 Harry Styles was seen wandering through Vatican City and Rome with Kim Mupangilai Credit: Instagram 8 Former 1D singer Harry has made no secret of his love for Italy Credit: Getty 8 Belgian-Congolese designer Kim Mupangilai Credit: Instagram Harry was seen walking in front of St Peter's Basilica with New York-based designer Kim, who has appeared on the cover of high-end interior mags. The pair were also spotted wandering through the back streets of Rome — with Harry carrying a bottle of wine. A source said: 'Harry loves nothing more than showing people his favourite spots in Italy. 'He also loves art and Kim has been a great source of inspiration.' Kim, who grew up in Antwerp, Belgium, has shared pictures on her Instagram of The Loggia Of Cupid And Psyche — a mural depicting a love affair — at the Villa Farnesina in Rome. She also posted snaps of red peppers drying on a rooftop in Ravello on Italy's Amalfi Coast. It comes as Harry is rumoured to have fallen in love with the small Italian village of Civita di Bagnoregio. The Watermelon Sugar hitmaker spent the pandemic learning Italian and sign language. During his final Love On Tour show in Reggio Emilia, Italy, in 2023, Harry thanked 120,000 fans in Italian. Speaking in their language, he said: 'The last two years of my life have been a wonderful gift and it is truly very special to end my tour here, in a country that has a special place in my heart.' Harry Styles' mystery woman revealed after Glastonbury snog - and she's VERY different to the women he's dated before In June, the singer was seen sharing a passionate kiss with producer Ella Kenny at Glastonbury Festival. It came after his relationship with actress Taylor Russell ended in May last year. He was seen kissing model Emily Ratajkowski on a night out in 2023 and has previously dated model Kendall Jenner, singer Taylor Swift and actress Olivia Wilde. Last month, Harry launched his own vibrating sex toy and lubricant through his lifestyle brand, Pleasing. Alongside his new passion as a tour guide, it seems that Harry has many strings to his bow. DUA RULES AT FEST 8 Dua Lipa performs at Sunny Hill Festival in Kosovo Credit: Supplied DUA LIPA gave an electric performance at the Sunny Hill Festival in the capital of Kosovo on Friday. The annual event, which she organises with her family, also saw her sing on stage with her dad Dukagjin. Posting on Instagram, she wrote: 'This festival is something my family and I created with so much love for our city Pristina. 'And to see it come to life like this is beyond anything I could've dreamed of.' The New Rules hitmaker also revealed that she has been granted Kosovan citizenship. The singer was born in London to Kosovo-Albanian parents and briefly lived in Pristina when she was a child. Posting a number of snaps from the weekend, including a selfie with her certificate, she wrote: 'Got my Kosovo citizenship the night before then partied hard at Sunny Hill Festival the night after!!!' HEIDI READY FOR SUGA HIT ON TV 8 Heidi Range will recount her days in the pop group Sugababes Credit: Getty HEIDI RANGE is set to lift the lid on her tumultuous time in the Sugababes in explosive BBC documentary Girlbands Forever. The singer will sit down with interviewer Louis Theroux to recount her days in the pop group, which has had six members over the years, including the original (and current) line-up of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy, as well as former members Jade Ewen and Amelle Berrabah. A source close to the project, which follows last year's Boybands Forever, said: 'Heidi has never spoken about what went on. 'Louis reached out to her directly and she finally agreed to take part a couple of weeks ago. It was an emotional interview and one that viewers will want to watch.' Last year, the Sugababes were handed a gong at the Mobo Awards, but Heidi's mum hit out after her daughter was 'white-washed' from the nomination video. She wrote on Instagram: 'I can't believe the cheek of it. Sugababes didn't have a hit till Heidi joined. It is so false and disrespectful the way they are carrying on.' Mutya hit back: 'When I wasn't in the group and the girls was doing big things without me, do you think I was getting upset about not being mentioned?' A spokesman for the original trio declined to comment. Forget the Suga – things might be about to turn very sour again. GENT IS IN LOVE 8 Tom Rhys Harries and songwriter Amy Allen Credit: Getty THE Gentlemen actor Tom Rhys Harries has just landed the starring role in DC Studios' Clayface, the villain and ally of Batman. But I can reveal the Welsh hunk is also a leading man in American songwriter Amy Allen's life. The pair soft-launched their relationship on Instagram, with Grammy-winning songwriter Amy sharing snaps of their holiday to Spain. A source told me: 'Tom and Amy are in the honey-moon phase and are the new power couple in town. 'Tom is a rising star in the film industry and Amy has fast become the first person pop stars want to work with.' Earlier this year, Amy scooped the Grammy Award for Songwriter Of The Year – the first woman to win the gong since its introduction in 2023. Amy penned Sabrina Carpenter hit tracks Espresso and Please Please Please as well as co-writing Adore You and Matilda for Harry Styles. Sounds like Tom and Amy will make sweet music together. OLIVIA SHOWS METAL 8 Olivia Rodrigo dazzles in a sparkly silver halter neck corset and mini skirt Credit: Getty OLIVIA RODRIGO pulled off a dazzling performance at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago. The Good 4 U hitmaker wore a sparkly silver halter neck corset and mini skirt as she took to the stage on Friday. Sabrina Carpenter and A$AP ROCKY are set to top the bill at the festival tonight. In June, Olivia headlined Glastonbury, describing it as the 'best weekend there ever was'. I was there and can vouch for that. PUB JOB FOR SAM BEFORE rising to fame on Eurovision in 2022, Sam Ryder started out singing in boozers – and now he has been appointed Head of Gigs for Greene King Pubs to help support up-and-coming artists. Sam, who dropped new single The Feeling Never Went Away from his upcoming album Heartland on Friday, said: 'Pubs provided a place for me to actually learn how to play in front of people. 'Before the pub stage, you just played guitar in your bedroom as loud as it could go. 'At pubs, you got the chance to hone your craft and learn different songs, create a little catalogue, get the expertise of actually playing in front of people.' I couldn't agree more, Sam. CRUZ BECKHAM is taking his new band on tour next month, branding his indie music style as 'nepo rock'. Having assembled a group of musicians, David and Victoria's youngest son will start with a series of gigs in London pubs. 8 Cruz Beckham is taking his new band on tour next month Credit: Getty Confirming the news on Instagram, Cruz posted a video of him crooning to a Tom Petty cover, but added, 'Originals are coming soon', and 'Nepo rock is the new genre'. A source said: 'Cruz is determined to prove he can earn his crust on his own merit.' With the amount of celeb offspring in music, nepo rock could be here to stay . . .
