A South Korean court has fined the operator of a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Seoul’s Gangnam district and its chief executive for serving a dessert topped with ants—an insect not approved for consumption under local food safety regulations. The restaurant, called Evett, was founded by Australian chef Joseph Lidgerwood. The operator was fined 10 million won (£5,400), and the chief executive, Ginny Kim, was fined 15 million won. Prosecutors had initially sought a one-year prison sentence for Kim and a 20 million won fine for the company. The judge, Lee Se-chang, of Seoul’s western district court, described the offense as “by no means light,” citing the long duration of the sale, the restaurant’s promotion of the dish, and tests that found heavy metals in the ants above permitted levels. However, the judge noted that the defendants admitted the violation, Kim had no prior criminal record related to food safety, the number of ants used was less than what prosecutors claimed, and the restaurant no longer uses ants in its dishes. Only 10 insect species are approved for use as food ingredients in South Korea, including grasshoppers, mealworms, and silkworm pupae. Businesses wishing to use an unapproved insect must seek temporary approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, a step the restaurant did not take. Violating the law can result in up to five years in prison or a 50 million won fine. The ministry began its investigation after seeing mentions of the ant-topped dessert in blog posts and social media. Prosecutors claimed the restaurant imported dried ants from the U.S. and Thailand by post starting in April 2021 and served three to five ants atop a sorbet made with sikhye, a sweet Korean rice drink, until January 2025. They estimated the dessert was served to 12,274 customers, using 49,096 ants, generating about 120 million won in revenue. The restaurant’s lawyers contested these figures in court, arguing that only about 60% of customers accepted the ant topping when it was offered. They also noted that ants were only used in a small number of dishes on their 15-course menu. The restaurant pointed out that ants are used as ingredients in countries like Denmark, the UK, and Australia. Insect-based foods are not uncommon in South Korea, where dishes like beondegi—steamed silkworm pupae—have been sold from street carts for decades and remain a popular nostalgic snack for children. Both the restaurant and Kim have seven days to appeal the court’s decision. The case highlights the strict regulations around food safety in South Korea and the challenges of introducing ingredients that are common in other countries but not locally approved.