Michelin-starred restauranteur faces jail for serving customers 50,000 ants in desserts

Most chefs dread finding ants in the kitchen. This Michelin-star chef put them on the menu — and now he’s facing jail.

An Australian chef could spend a year behind bars over claims that his restaurant served customers nearly 50,000 illegal ants in desserts.

The Michelin-star restaurant, located in the trendy Gangnam district of Seoul, is accused of importing dried ants from Thailand and the US and using them as a garnish on sorbet for more than four years.

Officials from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety commenced the court case earlier in 2026 after discovering photos of dishes sprinkled with ants in customer reviews.

South Korean prosecutors estimate the award-winning eatery served 12,200 portions of the ant dessert since 2021 — which they claim would have included 49,000 total ants, or four per serving.

Prosecutors are seeking a one-year jail term for the head chef, in addition to a $19,000 fine for the restaurant, for violating Korean food sanitation laws.

The owner has since admitted to serving ants to customers but told authorities they were only used in a “small part” of the 15-course menu and diners could opt out of the garnish.

“We did not give ants to customers who refused them,” a lawyer for the defence argued at the Seoul Western District Court on Monday, local media reported.

The Gangnam diner also questioned the prosecution’s portion figures, saying a chunk of customers requested no ants on their dessert.

“About 60 per cent of the customers accepted them but the prosecution calculated based on the premise that all customers did.

“We provided between one and five ants (per customer), depending on preference.”

Defence attorneys had explained in court that the Australian chef had used the insects for acidity while working in the US and Europe with no issue and he was unaware it was illegal in South Korea, local news outlet Donga reported.

The chef noted that restaurants in countries including Denmark, Australia and the UK use ants as ingredients.

In Australia, native green ants feature on the tasting menus of some high-end restaurants. However, it is illegal to import foreign ants for consumption.

South Korea food laws allow chefs to garnish dishes using insects but state that they must come from an approved list of 10 species, including locusts and grasshoppers.

The nation’s food laws maintain a strict ban on ants in dishes.

Restaurants in South Korea hoping to incorporate bugs outside the authorised list are required by law to receive temporary approval from authorities.

Prosecutors allege the Australian man and his restaurant failed to seek approval.

Testing on the imported ants by Korean health authorities found that the bugs contained up to 55 times more heavy metals than insects on the approved list — sparking further concern from the prosecution.

The accused restaurant is one of 11 Seoul eateries that have been awarded two Michelin stars, with the Michelin Guide saying the restaurant is “worth a detour”.

Court documents have not named the Australian or his restaurant.

The court is set to deliver its verdict on September 2.