Recipe book writer Nagi Maehashi has beaten cupcake queen Brooke Bellamy at the publishing industry’s annual awards, after Maehashi and other authors accused Bellamy of plagiarism.
Maehashi won the illustrated book of the year prize a second time at the Australian Book Industry Awards in Melbourne on Wednesday for her most recent book RecipeTin Eats: Tonight.
In April the prize-winning author accused Bellamy, who runs the popular Brooki Bakehouse in Brisbane, of copying her caramel slice and baklava recipes in her bestselling book, Bake with Brooki.
Another author, US-based Sally McKenney from the blog Sally’s Baking Addiction, has alleged Bellamy copied her Best Vanilla Cake recipe.
Bellamy denies the allegations, which she has described online as “deeply distressing”. She did not attend the awards night and she’s understood to be attending a pop-up bakery venture in the United Arab Emirates.
The Brisbane baker and online influencer has previously said she offered to remove the recipes that are the subject of Maehashi’s allegations from any reprints “to prevent further aggravation”.
Maehashi beat five finalists including Bellamy to take out the prestigious industry prize, with her second cookbook Tonight selling more than 78,000 copies in its first week on shelves, breaking Australian records for first week non-fiction title sales.
Bake with Brooki was published in October by Penguin Random House Australia, which was awarded a gong for publisher of the year and has been contacted for comment.
The awards are not only about authors but the whole publishing industry, according to Australian Publishers Association chief executive Patrizia Di Biase-Dyson.
“The industry judges cast their eagle eyes over the whole process of bringing books to consumers – from editing the manuscript through to the sales, marketing and publicity,” she said.
Cookbook allegations aside, music legend John Farnham and filmmaker Poppy Stockell were the big winners at the 25th annual awards, winning the overall book of the year Award, audiobook of the year and biography of the year for The Voice Inside.
Journalist Joe Aston’s Qantas exposé The Chairman’s Lounge won general non-fiction book of the year, while 2024 co-Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer won social impact book of the year for Brainstorm, about his fight against brain cancer.
ABIA WINNERS 2025:
* Audiobook of the Year: The Voice Inside, John Farnham with Poppy Stockell
* Biography Book of the Year: The Voice Inside, John Farnham with Poppy Stockell
* The John Marsden Book of the Year for Older Children: My Family and Other Suspects, Kate Emery
* Book of the Year for Younger Children: Wurrtoo, Tylissa Elisara, illustrated by Dylan Finney
* Children’s Picture Book of the Year: The Truck Cat, Deborah Frenkel, illustrated by Danny Snell
* General Fiction Book of the Year: What Happened to Nina?, Dervla McTiernan
* General Non-fiction Book of the Year: The Chairman’s Lounge, Joe Aston
* Illustrated Book of the Year: RecipeTin Eats: Tonight, Nagi Maehashi
* Literary Fiction Book of the Year: Dusk, Robbie Arnott
* Social Impact Book of the Year: Brainstorm, Richard Scolyer with Garry Maddox
* The Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year: We Are the Stars, Gina Chick
* Publisher of the Year: Penguin Random House Australia
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