A South Korean court handed down fines to the operator and chief executive of Evett, a two-Michelin-star restaurant located in Seoul’s Gangnam district, for serving a dessert garnished with ants. The company received a fine of 10 million won, while its chief executive was ordered to pay 15 million won. Prosecutors had initially sought a one-year prison sentence for the executive and a 20 million won penalty for the restaurant.
The judge determined the violation was serious, citing the extended period during which the dishes were sold, the restaurant’s use of the ingredient in promotional materials, and test results indicating heavy metal concentrations in the ants exceeded permissible limits. However, the judge also considered mitigating factors, including the defendants’ admission of guilt, the executive’s clean record under food safety laws, and the restaurant’s discontinuation of the practice. The judge noted that ants are commonly used as food ingredients in North America and Europe, suggesting the restaurant may not have understood the restriction applied in South Korea.
Under South Korean regulations, only ten insect species are approved for food use, including grasshoppers, mealworms, and silkworm pupae. Businesses seeking to use unapproved insects must obtain temporary authorization from the ministry of food and drug safety, which Evett did not pursue. The investigation began after the ministry identified references to the ant dishes on social media and blog posts. According to prosecutors, the restaurant imported dried ants from the US and Thailand beginning in April 2021, serving them atop a sorbet made with sikhye until January 2025, reportedly reaching approximately 12,274 customers. The restaurant’s legal representatives contested these figures in court, contending that roughly 40 percent of customers declined the ant topping when offered.
Evett was established by Australian chef Joseph Lidgerwood, who appears on the Netflix program Culinary Class Wars. Lidgerwood was not charged in the case. Ginny Kim, registered as the company’s chief executive and Lidgerwood’s spouse, was named as a defendant alongside the operating company. Both parties have seven days to pursue an appeal of the ruling.
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