Michelin-starred restaurant owner in South Korea faces jail for serving ants in dessert

Prosecutors in South Korea have asked a court to jail the owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant for one year after alleging the business served a dessert topped with ants, an insect not approved for consumption under local food safety law.

The request was made on Monday, according to Yonhap news agency, which said prosecutors also sought a 20 million won fine, about £10,108, for the company that operates the restaurant. The case centers on the use of dried ants as a garnish in a dessert, a practice that has now brought the restaurant under legal scrutiny.

Details in the monitored public feed were limited, but the allegation appears to focus on whether the insects used in the dish were permitted under South Korean food regulations. The reported fine would be imposed on the restaurant’s operating company, while the prison sentence sought would apply to the owner.

The matter has drawn attention because it involves a Michelin-starred establishment, a designation often associated with high-end dining and strict standards. In this case, however, the reported issue is not the quality of the food but whether one of its ingredients was legal to serve.

The feed summary did not identify the restaurant by name or provide any response from the owner or company. It also did not say when the dessert was served or whether the court has set a date to consider the request.

This report is based on a monitored public feed and summarizes details attributed to Yonhap news agency and The Guardian World.

Source: The Guardian World - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/22/restaurant-owner-south-korea-dried-ants-dessert