Restaurant Owner Avoids Jail for Ant-Topped Dessert

UPDATE Sep 18, 2026 8:40 AM CDT

A restaurant owner in South Korea will not be going to prison for serving her customers an ant-topped sorbet. Prosecutors sought a year in jail and a fine of $13,500 for the owner of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant, which served the dessert for years. The judge, noting that the woman had no criminal record and that prosecutors appeared to have overstated the number of ants involved, decided on a fine of $11,000 and no jail time, CNN reports. Unlike grasshoppers, silkworms, and eight other species, ants are not on the list of insects approved for human consumption in South Korea. Authorities said the restaurant's ants, imported from the US and Thailand, had "heavy metal levels up to 55 times the maximum limit allowed for other edible insects."

Jul 22, 2026 12:15 PM CDT

The owner of a South Korean restaurant with two Michelin stars is facing possible prison time over a sorbet topping: dried ants. Prosecutors in Seoul have asked a court to sentence the unnamed restaurateur to one year in jail and fine the company that runs the restaurant 20 million won (about $13,500) for using ants as a garnish in violation of the Food Sanitation Act, reports the Korea Herald.

Ants are not among the 10 insect species—which include grasshoppers, mealworms, and silkworm pupae, per the Guardian—the country allows for human consumption. The BBC reports Ministry of Food and Drug Safety officials realized ants were being used after seeing online reviews with photos that diners had posted.

The owner admitted serving the ants on some desserts in his 15-course menu but says diners were told of the garnish in advance and could choose alternatives like vinegar or edible flowers. Officials believe an estimated 49,000 dried ants from the US and Thailand were used by the restaurant over four years; the restaurant said the figure is incorrect, as it was based on all diners consuming the ants, when only 60% opted to do so. Court documents do not specify the restaurant or its owner, but the Times cites local media as reporting it's Evett, run by Australian chef Joseph Lidgerwood. The court's verdict is due Sept. 2.