| There's a proliferation of books, both printed and | | | | it's an exact duplicate--you need not worry that a |
| electronic (downloadable from the Web), that purport | | | | SWAT team is going to break down your door and |
| to tell you how to copy your favorite dishes from | | | | haul you away. Nor will an army of lawyers be |
| your favorite restaurants. Some of these are better | | | | descending on your kitchen. |
| than others, but they all raise the question: Is it legal | | | | Now, if you decide to open your own restaurant with |
| to "copycat" recipes in this way? | | | | dishes copied from well-known chain restaurants, and |
| These days, with the music industry going after | | | | if you are so un-subtle as to give them the same |
| people who use file-sharing services to illegally post | | | | names as the originals, you might have trouble on |
| songs for others to copy, and with prominent | | | | your hands! Short of this unlikely scenario, you're |
| anti-copying warnings from the FBI stuck on every | | | | probably safe. But we're not talking here about going |
| movie DVD we rent or purchase, it's a natural | | | | into business with other people's recipes, are we? (If |
| question. People wonder if they are breaking some | | | | you're contemplating anything along that line, then |
| law by cloning a restaurant's most famous | | | | you really must consult an attorney.) |
| recipe--whether it's by passing around the instructions | | | | Cooking for friends can be fun. It can be more fun if |
| or by actually cooking and serving it to friends. | | | | you serve them dishes that are exactly like ones |
| Mind you, I'm no lawyer. But I've talked to a couple | | | | from their favorite restaurant. If that's your intention, |
| of lawyer friends as well as to a number of | | | | and you're doing it in a private setting, you can set |
| restaurant managers. The bottom line is this: If you | | | | your mind at ease about the law. The only question |
| cook up your favorite steak or lobster dish (or | | | | then becomes, what dish do I want to clone, and |
| whatever) copied from Big Name Restaurant--even if | | | | where can I get a genuine recipe? |