Nagi Maehashi Accuses Brooke Bellamy of Recipe Plagiarism

Australian baker and influencer Brooke Bellamy faces allegations from prominent cookbook authors Nagi Maehashi and Sally McKenney of plagiarizing their recipes in her bestselling book, Bake with Brooki. Maehashi claims Bellamy's book contains recipes—such as caramel slice, baklava, and a Portuguese tart—that closely mirror her own work as well as that of the late Bill Granger, with some method instructions allegedly copied nearly word-for-word. McKenney similarly alleges that Bellamy used her vanilla cake recipe without credit, both in the book and on YouTube. Bellamy and her publisher Penguin Random House deny the accusations, asserting her recipes are original or predate those in question, though Bellamy has offered to remove disputed content from future editions. The controversy has sparked legal involvement and intense public scrutiny, with Maehashi expressing distress over online attacks and the broader issue of recipe plagiarism. The publishers of Granger's work are investigating the claims, highlighting ongoing concerns about intellectual property in cookbook publishing.