For most people, the word plagiarism brings to mind images of copying and pasting long passages from obscure sources online and claiming them as your own. It is a serious allegation in academic circles and can lead to expulsion and a serious loss of intellectual face. A far less publicized but equally rampant form of plagiarism runs through the culinary community with theft of recipes.

I stand somewhere in the middle of this argument. Borrowing is a clear and accepted mode of culinary inspiration but it needs to be done with a sense of class. I would never take someone else’s dish and call it my own, though I have certainly been inspired by cookbooks and other chefs’ creations and would question any cook who claims to have never done the same. However, it’s one thing to be inspired by a dish before making it your own and another matter completely to lift a dish from a book or another establishment and sell it at your restaurant.

To all the copy cats out there (and in Shanghai there are more than a few): really guys, really??? I understand that you love the way that Haiku roll tastes and its clever name, but you couldn’t even be bothered to change a single ingredient before you put it on your menu at two-thirds the price? Really?

Here are a few words of comfort for those who have been plagiarized: imitation is the greatest form of flattery. It’s certainly cliché to say, but it’s true nonetheless. Someone–whoever he or she may be–feels as if the key to your establishment’s success is a few dishes or a couple special cocktails. They’re ignoring all the other details that make a restaurant or a bar successful–namely you, your team and all your blood, sweat, and tears.

So if they want to take a few of your employees and some of your dishes, let them. To be honest, there isn’t much you can do. Be the bigger person, and continue to be that person when they’re still recreating the same dishes over and over while you’ve moved on to bigger and better things. This is why I don’t keep any secrets from my line cooks. I just continue to do my best to break new ground, play with new flavor combinations and show my customers something new.

In the end, the line is fuzzy, and since there are no patents on recipes it isn’t as if we’ll ever have a jury of our peers to settle disputes. All we can count on is the honor of those in the industry and the dedication of loyal customers who know where the talent lies. I spent 10 years of my career simply recreating my chef’s dishes to the best of my ability. I finally feel as if I’m ready to create something of my own and I’m pretty proud of that.