South Korea Michelin-Starred Restaurant Owner Faces Prison Over Ant-Topped Dessert Controversy

The owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea could face one year in prison for serving a dessert topped with ants, an ingredient that is not approved for human consumption under the country's food safety laws.

Prosecutors on Monday also sought a fine of 20 million won (about £10,108) against the company operating the restaurant, according to Yonhap news agency.

Investigation sparked by social media posts

The owner and the company have been indicted for allegedly violating the Food Sanitation Act. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety launched an investigation after noticing references to ant-based dishes in blog posts and social media, rather than during a routine inspection, The Guardian reports.

The Seoul restaurant, which has two Michelin stars and is located in the upscale Gangnam district, reportedly served a sorbet dessert sprinkled with ants to customers who opted for the topping.

South Korean regulations permit only 10 insect species, including grasshoppers, mealworms and silkworm pupae, for use as food ingredients. Ants are not on the approved list. Businesses wishing to use an unapproved insect must obtain temporary approval, a procedure the restaurant allegedly failed to follow. Violations of the law carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison or a fine of 50 million won.

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Defence disputes prosecution’s estimates

Prosecutors alleged that the restaurant imported dried ants from the United States and Thailand from 2021 and served them on dishes for about four years. They claimed the ant-topped dessert was sold around 12,200 times, generating about 120 million won (roughly £60,647) in revenue, and estimated that nearly 49,000 ants were used.

The defence challenged those figures in court, arguing that only about 60% of customers accepted the ant topping when offered, making the prosecution's estimate too high because it was based on all diners.

The defence also pointed out that only a few dishes on the restaurant's 15-course menu contained ants and noted that restaurants in countries including Denmark, the UK and Australia use ants as an ingredient.

It was reportedly explained to prosecutors that the restaurant's chef had used ants to add acidity to dishes while working in the US and Europe and had not realised that doing so was illegal in South Korea.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 2.