

🌴129. Cookie controversy
Hey, thanks for jumping in today. I’m sharing some reflections from my 9-year wedding anniversary weekend—and how a random cookie run led me into one of Australia’s biggest copyright controversies. What happens when a viral baker is accused of copying recipes from a best-selling cookbook author? And what does this mean for those of us who share ideas for a living?
What I cover in this episode:
- A shoutout to Spicers Balfour Hotel in Brisbane (amazing food, rooftop views, 10/10 vibes)
- The story behind Brookie’s Bakehouse and her massive TikTok-fuelled success
- The plagiarism controversy between Brookie’s cookbook and Nagi from RecipeTin Eats
- What I saw when I visited Brookie’s Bakehouse this week
- The tension between inspiration vs. imitation in creative work
- How idea protection gets blurrier in a world of AI and infinite remixing
- Why I personally don’t stress too much about people copying my ideas (and what I do instead)
- A reminder: Trolls on the internet are loud, but community still matters
- Final verdict: The Nutella cookie? Worth it.
Resources / mentions:
- RecipeTin Eats
- Brookie’s Bakehouse (multiple locations)
- “Finite and Infinite Games” by James P. Carse
- “The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek
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