By The European Times | Created at 2026-07-29 14:17:28 | Updated at 2026-08-05 06:48:17
6 days ago
Korean prosecutors have demanded a one-year prison sentence for the owner of a luxury restaurant in Seoul after it was found that he served his customers a dessert containing insects that were not approved for consumption, The Guardian reports.
The famous chef, whose restaurant has two Michelin stars, has been accused of systematically violating the Food Safety Act.
$80,000 dessert
The investigation revealed that for four years the restaurant served a special fruit sorbet topped with dried black ants. The insects were imported from the US and Thailand, and their purpose was to give the dish a specific, natural sour-citrus accent.
The owner of a South Korean Michelin-starred restaurant is facing one year in jail for garnishing a palate-cleansing sorbet with black ants “to add a sour taste”, local media saidhttps://t.co/0cC1xIts00
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) July 22, 2026
According to prosecutors, more than 12,200 servings of the dessert were sold during that period, using nearly 49,000 ants, and generating more than $80,000 in revenue.
In addition to the fact that serving them is illegal, laboratory analyses by authorities have also found excessive levels of heavy metals in the imported insects.
Why are ants banned?
South Korean food laws are extremely strict. The country has an official list of only 10 species of insects that are permitted for human consumption (including certain types of grasshoppers and silkworms). However, black ants are not on this list and are therefore considered unfit for consumption.
The prosecution is demanding a 1-year sentence for the chef and a fine for the restaurant itself.
“World Culinary Practice”
The chef’s defense counters the accusations, stating that the use of ants to achieve natural acidity is a widespread technique in haute cuisine (considered a specialty in a number of elite restaurants in Denmark, the UK and Australia).
The lawyers also emphasize that the dessert was never served as a surprise – customers were informed in advance about the ingredients and consumed it of their own free will.
The Seoul court is expected to deliver its final verdict in early September.
Source: The Guardian
Illustrative photo: pexels-ekamelev-7870559
