Food with a taste of copyright: feasibility of protecting culinary creations through artistic and literary law (comparative study of American and Iranian Laws)

Chefs attempt to present different foods with a variety of recipes and ingredients to their audience using all types of media. Creativity, in this sector, is to the extent that nowadays people talk about the cooking art. This has led the issue of protecting culinary creations including recipes and food plating through literary and artistic rights, to arise. In the U.S, the actions already brought to protect recipes and food presentations have failed, although courts have not, as a general rule, refused the possibility of these creations to be copyrighted. The results of this descriptive-analytical article show that recipes going beyond mere listing of a food ingredients and its preparation method which indicate the person’s art, taste and talent are protectable provided that they are fixed in a tangible medium in the American law and expressed in Iranian law. However, since ideas are not protectable, third parties may not be prevented from cooking the food explained in recipes. The form of food and way of its presentation, where the above said conditions are met, would be protected too. Indeed, the requirement to be fixed in a stable tangible medium makes it difficult to protect some food presentations in U.S law.