RETAILER Marks & Spencer has come under accusations of laying claim to a popular dish created by Indian restaurant chain Dishoom.
It posted a photograph of the chilli egg and bacon naan, one of the chain’s best-known dishes, on Instagram earlier this week, sparking an outrage on social media where users accused it of “copying” from Dishoom and not giving it the credit.
The post said: “Umm… did someone say chilli egg and bacon naan? ?? ?️ Try @chrisbaber’s ridiculously tasty brunch recipe, starring our 100% outdoor-bred British bacon.”
The incident happened just a few months after the retailer dragged Aldi to court alleging that it was selling a cake that looked too similar to its popular ‘Colin the Caterpillar’ cake. According to the retailer, it infringed its trademark and could make shoppers to believe that the two products are sourced to same standards, The Telegraph reported.
M&S later edited its Instagram post, says Dishoom
Dishoom later claimed that M&S edited its Instragram post later to add that it had been “inspired by the wonderful dish [at] Dishoom”.
The Indian chain restaurant, which was founded a decade ago and has outlets in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham, said it was “hurt” that the recipe was being used across several platforms without giving it the due credit.
“After a year in which our cafés have been mostly closed, a year when we’ve spent many months and countless sleepless nights perfecting our first-ever meal kit to be able to bring this much-loved dish to the doors of patrons nationwide, it hurts all the more,” Dishoom said.
“To attempt to profit off a dish that has become synonymous with a restaurant (which, like so many others, is doing everything in its power to stay afloat, to rebuild, and to protect over 950 jobs), seems to me pretty cheeky,” It added.
Marks & Spencer said it “wanted to stay friends” and asked its social media followers to book a table at Dishoom and buy its naan recipe kit after the Indian chain asked it to do so, the report added.
