A two Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, was fined 25 million won for violating food safety laws by serving unauthorized ants as a dessert garnish. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety discovered approximately 49,000 imported ants were used on sorbets over a period of nearly four years, triggering judicial penalties and health standard violations due to heavy metal content.
Inside the Evett Prosecution and Court Ruling
The Seoul-based fine targets the fine-dining establishment Evett and its owner. According to local media reports covered by the BBC, the restaurant’s owner was personally fined 15 million won, roughly equivalent to £8,144 or $10,965, while the operating company faced a separate 10 million won penalty under South Korea’s Food Sanitation Act.
Prosecutors initially pressed for a much stiffer penalty, seeking a one-year prison term alongside a 20 million won fine. However, the presiding judge weighed mitigating factors. The owner admitted to the charges and possessed no prior criminal record, sparing him from incarceration.
But there is a catch. Laboratory testing conducted during the investigation revealed that the imported ants exceeded standard thresholds for heavy metals. Because of this contamination finding, the judge noted that the culpability of the establishment “is not light.”
Regulatory Frameworks and the Legal Status of Insects in South Korea
South Korea maintains a strictly curated legal definition of what qualifies as edible fauna. Ants are notably absent from the nation’s approved roster of insect species cleared for human consumption.
As detailed in reports on the Michelin Guide standards, two-star establishments are recognized globally for delivering excellent cooking that is worth a detour.
| Regulatory Category | Details of the Seoul Prosecution |
|---|---|
| Total Fines Levied | 25 million won total (15 million won for the owner; 10 million won for the operating company) |
| Prosecutorial Request | One-year prison term and a 20 million won fine for the owner |
| Duration and Scale | Approximately 49,000 ants used over a period of nearly four years |
| Sourcing Origins | Primarily imported from the United States, with additional quantities from Thailand |
| Approved Insects in South Korea | Grasshoppers, locusts, and select silkworms (ants are excluded) |
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety uncovered the violations after spotting online diner reviews accompanied by photographs. Investigators established that the owner had sprinkled three to five ants onto specific dishes to impart a distinct sour taste as part of a 15-course tasting menu.
Global Culinary Norms Versus Domestic Compliance
While South Korea restricts edible insects primarily to grasshoppers, locusts, and silkworms, other cultures treat ants as prized delicacies.
In various parts of Southeast Asia, weaver ants and their eggs are common ingredients in traditional cooking. Meanwhile, in Colombia, queen ants command market prices comparable to caviar. During court proceedings, the defense argued that the ants formed only a minute component of the multi-course menu and that diners were given the option to request an alternative garnish.
Nevertheless, the intersection of international supply chains—with shipments arriving from the United States and Thailand—and local health inspections underscores a persistent challenge for globalized fine dining.
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