Key facts
- Evett, a two-Michelin-star Seoul restaurant, and its chief executive were fined for serving ants on a dessert.
- The operator was fined 10 million won and the chief executive 15 million won.
- The ants were found to contain heavy metals above permitted levels.
- South Korean law permits only 10 specific insect species as food ingredients.
- The restaurant imported dried ants from the US and Thailand.
- The dessert was served to an estimated 12,274 customers between April 2021 and January 2025.
The operator of Evett, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Seoul, and its chief executive have been fined for serving a dessert topped with ants, an insect not approved for consumption under South Korean food safety law. The operator was fined 10 million won (£5,400) and its chief executive, Ginny Kim, 15 million won. Prosecutors had sought a one-year prison term for Kim and a 20 million won fine for the company.
Judge Lee Se-chang stated the offense was "by no means light," citing the duration of the sales, the restaurant's promotional use of the ants, and tests that found heavy metals above permitted levels in the insects. He noted that ants are used as an ingredient in the US and Europe, and the restaurant may not have realized they were not permitted in South Korea. The judge also considered that the defendants admitted the offense, Kim had no prior record under the food safety law, the number of ants served was likely lower than prosecutors calculated, and the restaurant no longer uses them.
South Korean food safety law permits only 10 specific insect species as food ingredients, including grasshoppers and mealworms. Businesses wishing to use unapproved insects must obtain temporary approval from the ministry of food and drug safety, a step Evett did not take. Violating the law carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison or a 50 million won fine.
Prosecutors alleged the restaurant imported dried ants from the US and Thailand from April 2021 and served them atop a sorbet made with sikhye, a Korean rice drink, to an estimated 12,274 customers, using 49,096 ants for total revenue of about 120 million won. Lawyers for the defense disputed these figures, arguing that only about 60% of customers accepted the ant topping. The restaurant also noted that ants were only on a small portion of their 15-course menu and that ants are used as an ingredient in countries including Denmark, the UK, and Australia. The ministry began its investigation after seeing mentions of the ant dishes on social media and blogs.
Evett was founded by Australian chef Joseph Lidgerwood, who was not charged as legal duties fall on the registered operator. Lidgerwood's wife, Ginny Kim, is registered as the company's chief executive and was the defendant alongside the company. Both sides have seven days to appeal the ruling.