food-and-safety26 days ago
Seoul court fines Michelin-starred Evett for serving unapproved ant garnish
A Seoul court has fined the operator and chief executive of Evett, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Gangnam, for serving a dessert topped with ants, an insect not approved for consumption under South Korean food safety laws. The restaurant was fined 10 million won, and its chief executive, Ginny Kim, was fined 15 million won. Prosecutors had sought a one-year prison term for Kim and a 20 million won fine for the company. The judge noted that the ants contained heavy metals above permitted levels but considered mitigating factors, including the defendants' admission of guilt and lack of prior criminal record. The ants were imported from the US and Thailand and served from April 2021 to January 2025.
