{
  "id": 8115643,
  "title": "Michelin-starred Seoul restaurant fined for using ants as garnish",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/michelin-starred-seoul-restaurant-fined-for-using-ants-as-garnish",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T21:55:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/michelin-starred-seoul-restaurant-fined-for-using-ants-as-garnish/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Michelin-starred Seoul restaurant, Evett, has been fined for using ants as a garnish in their desserts. The owner and the company operating the restaurant were fined 15 million won (£8,144; $10,965) and 10 million won respectively, for violating the Food Sanitation Act. Ants are not on the list of 10 insect species approved for human consumption in South Korea. Prosecutors had requested a one-year prison term and a larger fine, but the judge took into account the owner's admission and lack of prior criminal record. The violation was discovered after the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety found online reviews with photos of ants on dishes. The owner had been using ants to give a \"sour taste\" to sorbets for over four years, with approximately 49,000 ants used in total. Most of the ants were imported from the US, while some came from Thailand. The owner claimed they were used as part of a \"small part\" of the 15-course menu and diners were offered a non-ant alternative. Ants are consumed in various cultures worldwide, but in South Korea, their use in food is prohibited. The Michelin Guide describes a two-star establishment as one that serves \"excellent cooking\" and is \"worth a detour.\"",
  "summary": "A two Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul has been fined for using ants as a dessert garnish.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}