She’s the recipe queen beloved by millions of Aussies. Now the RecipeTinEats founder has made bombshell claims that Brooke Bellamy has STOLEN her delicious creations for a new book – and the knives are out

Australia’s most popular food blogger is at war with a social media sensation after claiming her recipes were ‘stolen’ for a multi million-dollar book. 

RecipeTin Eats founder and best-selling author, Nagi Maehashi has accused Penguin Australia of plagiarising recipes in Brooke Bellamy’s Bake With Brooki. 

Ms Maehashi took to social media and her website on Tuesday to make the accusations and invited followers to make their own conclusions. Later that evening, Ms Bellamy hit back on Instagram to vehemently deny the accusations.

Bakery owner Ms Bellamy released her debut cook book in October 2024 after her Brisbane-based Brooki Bakehouse became a viral sensation on TikTok.  

Ms Bellamy’s ‘day in the life’ videos were a huge hit as she gained a following of more than four million followers across social media platforms.

The RecipeTin Eats founder has claimed that Bake With Brooki contains several plagiarised recipes including two of her own – caramel slice and baklava – as well as recipes by other authors. 

‘To me, the similarities are so specific and detailed that calling these a coincidence feels disingenuous,’ Ms Maehashi wrote.

‘There are also recipes from other authors, including from a very well known, beloved cookbook author where the similarities are so extensive, dismissing it as coincidence would be absurd (in my opinion).’

‘I’m speaking up because staying silent protects this kind if behaviour.’ 

Ms Maehashi explained that out of respect for the other authors, she has chosen not to name them or share further details of the allegedly plagiarised recipes. 

The food blogger and author also blasted the publishing giant for allegedly ‘exploiting’ her work.

She also claimed the alleged plagiarising was ‘ethically indefensible’ in a furious attack after pointing out her website’s profits go towards funding a food bank.

RecipeTin Meals is a not-for-profit food bank in Sydney launched by Ms Maehashi, which cooks over 500 meals every day for vulnerable individuals and families. 

Ms Maehashi shares several recipes on her website for free and said she would have given Ms Bellamy permission to use her work, with credit, if she had got in touch.

‘It didn’t have to be like this,’ she wrote.

‘Had you asked, I would have given permission and knowing me, proudly promoted your book on launch. It costs nothing to credit.’ 

The RecipeTin Eats founder said Penguin had denied the allegations via their lawyers, adding that she’s yet to receive a response from Ms Bellamy directly. 

Ms Maehashi, who has now turned off comments on her Instagram post due to legal concerns, claimed she brought the allegations to Penguin’s attention last December.

‘You’re a top tier publisher entrusted with protecting original work and upholding the integrity of the publishing industry,’ she wrote.

‘Your lack of accountability is profoundly disappointing.’ 

In Ms Bellamy’s original recipe, caramel is used to make the base in a similar way to Ms Maehashi’s recipe.

She alleged a new version of Bake With Brooki has quietly been released into stores in recent weeks with one huge difference in its pages.  

The caramel slice recipe has been tweaked, which Ms Maehashi claims is in response to her claims of plagiarism. 

The RecipeTin Eats founder explained she used caramel ‘rather than golden syrup which is the typical recipe’ for this particular dessert.

In a new version of Bake With Brooki released to stores in recent weeks, the caramel slice recipe allegedly features golden syrup as an ingredient.

Ms Maehashi shared both RecipeTin Eats’ and Bake With Brooki’s caramel slice and baklava recipes to give her followers the opportunity to make up their own minds.

On Tuesday Ms Bellamy hit back at the accusations in a lengthy statement posted to social media.

‘I did not plagiarise any recipes in my book which consists of 100 recipes I have created over many years, since falling in love with baking as a child and growing up baking with my mum in our home kitchen,’ she wrote on Instagram.

‘I immediately offered to remove both recipes from future reprints to prevent further aggravation, which was communicated to Nagi swiftly through discussions.

‘I have great respect for Nagi and what she has done in recent years for cooks, content creators and cookbooks in Australia – especially as a fellow female entrepreneur.

‘I stand by my love of baking, my recipes and the joy this book has brought so many home bakers around the world eager to try recreating my recipes from inside their homes.’

Penguin has also denied the allegations and in a statement shared by Ms Maehashi said: ‘Our client respectfully rejects your clients’ allegations and confirms that the recipes in the BWB Book were written by Brooke Bellamy.’

Ms Maehashi remains one of Australia’s most beloved food bloggers. 

She lives in Sydney with her golden retriever Dozer, who regularly appears on her social media channels. 

The author was born in Japan before moving to Australia as a child and worked in corporate finance before pursuing her passion for food. 

She opened a foodbank in 2021 in Sydney which has three full time chefs making meals five days a week.  

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Maehashi, Ms Bellamy and Penguin for further comment.