Seoul’s Evett restaurant, a two-Michelin-star establishment located in the Gangnam district, has been fined by a South Korean court for serving a dessert containing ants, an ingredient not approved under the country’s food safety regulations. The court imposed a 10 million won fine ($7,500) on the company operating the restaurant and a 15 million won ($11,300) fine on its chief executive, Ginny Kim.

The case emerged after South Korean prosecutors launched an investigation prompted by social media and blog posts highlighting the use of ants as a dessert topping. According to court documents, Evett imported dried ants from the United States and Thailand starting in April 2021 and served three to five ants atop a sikhye-flavored sorbet—a traditional Korean sweet rice drink—until January 2025. Prosecutors estimated that approximately 12,274 customers received the dessert, with an estimated 49,096 ants served, generating about 120 million won ($90,000) in revenue.

The court judge, Lee Se-chang of Seoul’s western district court, described the violation as serious, citing the duration over which the dish was served, its use as a promotional item, and test results that revealed heavy metal contamination in the ants beyond permitted levels. However, the judge also considered mitigating factors, including the defendants’ admission of wrongdoing, the absence of prior criminal records under food safety laws for the chief executive, the lower quantity of ants served than initially estimated by prosecutors, and the restaurant’s decision to discontinue the use of ants.

South Korea only allows ten species of insects as food ingredients, which include grasshoppers, mealworms, and silkworm pupae. The use of unapproved insects requires prior temporary permission from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety—a step Evett did not undertake. Violations can lead to penalties of up to five years in prison or fines reaching 50 million won ($37,500).

Evett was founded by Australian chef Joseph Lidgerwood, known for his appearance on the Netflix competition show Culinary Class Wars. Lidgerwood, who serves as the public face of the restaurant, was not charged in the case. The legal responsibilities rested on Kim, listed as the registered operator and chief executive of the business.

In court, the defense challenged prosecutors’ figures, arguing that only about 60% of customers accepted the ant topping when it was offered. They also noted that ants are used as a food ingredient in various international restaurants, including those in Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Australia. While insect consumption has a longstanding history in South Korea, exemplified by the traditional snack beondegi (steamed silkworm pupae), ants remain unapproved within the country’s current regulatory framework.

Both the prosecution and defense have seven days to appeal the verdict. The restaurant has declined to comment following the ruling.