MELBOURNE: Celebrity chef Nagi Maehashi expressed deep distress after discovering that her beef Wellington recipe was partially used by convicted murderer Erin Patterson in a fatal poisoning case. Patterson, found guilty this week of killing three people with a toxic beef Wellington dish, had referenced Maehashi’s recipe, though with the deadly addition of death cap mushrooms.
Maehashi, known for her bestselling cookbooks, shared her dismay on social media, stating that a recipe she perfected to bring joy had become linked to tragedy. “It is of course upsetting to learn that one of my recipes, something I created to bring happiness, is entangled in a tragic situation,“ she said.
The case, which spanned over two months in court, saw Patterson claiming the poisoning was accidental. However, a jury rejected her defence, finding her guilty of murdering her husband’s parents and aunt in 2023. She was also convicted of attempting to murder a fourth guest who survived the meal.
Death cap mushrooms, the world’s deadliest fungi, were identified as the lethal ingredient. Patterson, 50, now faces a potential life sentence for the crimes. - AFP
