Michelin-Starred Restaurant Owner Faces Jail for Serving Ants
A luxury restaurant holding two Michelin stars in South Korea has become entangled in an unusual legal case. Prosecutors have demanded a one-year prison sentence for the restaurant’s owner for allegedly serving ants as a food ingredient, a practice deemed illegal under local law.
During a hearing on Monday (20/7), prosecutors indicted the owner, whose identity has been withheld, for violating the Food Sanitation Act. In addition to the prison term for the owner, prosecutors also sought a fine of 20 million won (approximately Rp242 million) for the company managing the upscale restaurant.
According to court documents, the owner and the restaurant’s management are accused of importing dried ant products from the United States and Thailand. The practice allegedly took place over approximately four years, beginning in 2021. The dried ants were used as a garnish for their premium dishes.
Under South Korea’s food safety regulations, authorities are extremely strict regarding the consumption of insects. Currently, only 10 insect species are officially approved as safe for human consumption. Ants are not on this list, making their use as a food ingredient a legal violation.
Prosecutors revealed that the restaurant served ant-topped dishes more than 12,200 times, generating total revenue of 120 million won. Authorities estimate that around 49,000 ants were consumed by customers. While the owner admitted to the charges regarding the use of ants, he contested the prosecution’s estimates, claiming only about 60 percent of diners were willing to try the extreme dish. The prosecution had assumed the ant dish was served to every customer without exception. The owner also argued that the ants were merely a small component of a 15-course fine dining menu.
The owner contended that using ants in gastronomy is common internationally, citing restaurants in Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Australia that also use ants to provide a unique flavour. The case has attracted widespread attention because it involves a top-tier restaurant holding a Michelin star, the highest symbol of reputation in the culinary world. Whether this argument of global culinary trends can soften South Korea’s food safety laws remains to be seen, with the court scheduling the final verdict for 2 September.