Nagi Maehashi Wins Australian Book Award Amid Plagiarism Controversy

Nagi Maehashi, creator of RecipeTin Eats, won the Illustrated Book of the Year award at the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) for her cookbook 'Tonight,' prevailing over fellow finalist Brooke Bellamy, just a week after publicly accusing Bellamy of plagiarizing her caramel slice and baklava recipes. Bellamy, who denies the allegations and describes them as distressing, did not attend the ceremony, reportedly due to business overseas, and has said she offered to remove the disputed recipes from future editions of her book. The controversy has drawn significant attention to an otherwise low-profile industry event, with another author, Sally McKenney, also alleging Bellamy copied her vanilla cake recipe. Maehashi’s win marks her second consecutive victory in this category, bolstered by record-breaking sales for her latest book. The judging process for the ABIAs considers all aspects of book production, from editing to marketing, not just the content itself. Despite the ongoing plagiarism debate, Maehashi expressed gratitude to her team and publisher, emphasizing positivity and integrity in her public remarks.