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Michelin-starred chef facing jail after allegedly serving nearly 50,000 ants to diners (only 4.50 years left)
Fox News via NY Post ^ | 7/24/26 | Teresa Mull

Posted on 07/24/2026 12:24:57 PM PDT by Libloather

The owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea is facing up to a year in jail and a fine of roughly $13,510 after the eatery allegedly served ants atop its sorbets.

The proprietor of the Seoul restaurant, not identified in court documents, acknowledged serving ants, which are not among the insect species approved for human consumption under South Korea’s Food Sanitation Act. The law approves 10 other insect species for human consumption — but not ants, the BBC reported.

The country’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety discovered the violation through customers’ social media posts and online reviews mentioning ants, according to reports.

Grasshoppers, mealworms, silkworm pupae, locusts and two-spotted crickets are among the insects the government has approved as food, based on health and nutrition criteria.

Prosecutors allege the ants served at the restaurant contained heavy metal levels up to 55 times the maximum limit allowed for other edible insects.

They accuse the restaurant of importing dried ants and using approximately 49,000 of them in dishes since 2021.

Defense attorneys disputed that figure, according to The Chosun Daily.

Ants were offered as an optional garnish for the sorbet, the restaurant owner’s defense argued, and only 60% of diners chose them over other options, including fermented vinegar and edible flowers, the South Korean newspaper reported.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Food; Health/Medicine; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: ants; chef; diners; eatbugs; jail

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You vill eat ze bugs and you vill enjoy ze bugs. Needs dippin' sauce.
1 posted on 07/24/2026 12:24:57 PM PDT by Libloather
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To: All

EXPIRED! EXPIRED!! EXPIRED!!!


2 posted on 07/24/2026 12:26:18 PM PDT by mmichaels1970 ( )
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To: Libloather

Actually, it’s kind of tasty!

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34515-d2433994-r564147141-La_Cava_del_Tequila-Orlando_Florida.html

“Black ant salted rim margarita”


3 posted on 07/24/2026 12:27:42 PM PDT by abb
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To: Libloather

To be fair, anything would be an improvement to soebet.


4 posted on 07/24/2026 12:28:25 PM PDT by When do we get liberated? (A socialist is a communist who realizes he must suckle the breast of Capitalism.)
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To: abb

Tastes kinda like spotted owl.


5 posted on 07/24/2026 12:28:59 PM PDT by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: Libloather

Not much different from regular chocolate jimmies.


6 posted on 07/24/2026 12:29:17 PM PDT by Orosius
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To: Libloather

I did notice that in the Trump Administration’s announcement today of new Section 301 “forced labor” tariffs, that “edible insects” from Jordan were given 0% import duty into the USA.

Eat up! Its what’s for dinner!


7 posted on 07/24/2026 12:29:44 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: Libloather
Heavy Metal Ants...were the diners serenaded during dinner?


8 posted on 07/24/2026 12:30:35 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Libloather

If you cant beat them, eat them..


9 posted on 07/24/2026 12:33:48 PM PDT by Jonty30 (You can tell that somebody is from the deep South when they sound like a banjo.)
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To: Libloather

Yuck. I would have went with the edible flowers.


10 posted on 07/24/2026 12:34:35 PM PDT by jimwatx
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To: Libloather

True story! This past April, we ordered the Grand Margaritas @ the Mex restaurant in Disney EPCOT. Here they come with this copper colored rim salt, and very potent drinks. One each was plenty enough for both of us.

We both said “hmmm... tastes sorta, kinda like chili powder.”

I got to looking more closely at the menu, and sure enough, ant powder mixed with salt! Mrs. wabbott wasn’t amused.

I thought it was hilarious. Had kind of a whang to it.


11 posted on 07/24/2026 12:35:49 PM PDT by abb
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To: Libloather

THEM!!!


12 posted on 07/24/2026 12:35:54 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)
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Hard to cook.


13 posted on 07/24/2026 12:38:40 PM PDT by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: Libloather

I got ants in my pants and I want to dance


14 posted on 07/24/2026 12:40:26 PM PDT by albie
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To: Jonty30

The chef is actually ecologically sensitive. Ant overpopulation is a serious problem. There are an estimated 20 quadrillion ants in the world, 2.5 million for each human being!
You will eat them and be happy in the new global order. Lots of protein.


15 posted on 07/24/2026 12:42:51 PM PDT by Deo volente ("Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.” -Niccolò Machiavelli)
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To: Libloather
What about scorpions and centipedes? And spiders?

After all, not everybody wants to eat insects.

16 posted on 07/24/2026 12:43:10 PM PDT by Salman (We need to proceed as if the system were completely broken, because it is. )
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To: Libloather
optional garnish

I don't see a prob w/optional.

17 posted on 07/24/2026 12:43:17 PM PDT by fruser1
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To: Deo volente

Ants are one of the better bugs to eat, because they eat mostly plants.


18 posted on 07/24/2026 12:44:48 PM PDT by Jonty30 (You can tell that somebody is from the deep South when they sound like a banjo.)
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To: mewzilla

19 posted on 07/24/2026 12:50:43 PM PDT by abb
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To: abb

Sandy Descher’s performance was scary good.


20 posted on 07/24/2026 12:53:09 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)
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