A Michelin-starred restaurant owner in South Korea faces potential jail time for using ants as a dessert garnish. The upscale restaurant in Seoul’s Gangnam district, holding two Michelin stars, is under investigation for offering a sorbet dish topped with ants.
The owner, unnamed, acknowledged incorporating ants into the 15-course menu but stated they were optional toppings, with customers able to request ant-free versions. The controversy arose when authorities discovered images and videos of the ant-adorned dishes on social media and in reviews.
Only 10 types of insects are legally permissible for consumption and food preparation in South Korea, including grasshoppers, mealworms, and silkworm pupae. The restaurant allegedly imported dried ants from the US and Thailand over five years, using nearly 50,000 ants in total. Prosecutors claim the ant-topped desserts were served approximately 12,200 times, generating around £60,647.
The restaurant refuted these figures, asserting that only 60% of customers opting for the desserts chose the ant topping, resulting in lower profits. Prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison term for the owner and a £10,108 fine for the restaurant company.
The defence argued that only a few dishes on the menu featured ants and cited the use of ants in restaurants in other countries. The chef explained that the ants were used to provide acidity to the desserts, a technique he had employed in previous European and US restaurants, unaware of its illegality in South Korea.
South Korean law allows for a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a £50,000 fine for such offenses. The court is expected to announce its verdict on September 2.