Investigation into Michelin's "wine swap" scandal underway.. Ahn Sung-jae, looking gaunt but offering a warm smile [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Ahn Sung-jae's recent activities have become a hot topic following the "wine swap" controversy.

On the 9th, actress Kang Min-ji posted an Instagram photo with a message reading, "A special evening at Mosu, a two-Michelin-star restaurant, where taste and art come together under Chef Ahn Sung-jae."

The released photo featured Ahn Sung-jae, owner chef of the two-Michelin-star restaurant Mosu Seoul. Contrary to recent reports that he had become noticeably thinner, he displayed his usual warm smile.

Earlier in April, a major controversy erupted at Mosu Seoul, led by Chef Ahn Sung-jae, over a sommelier's "wine swap." According to the affected customer, a 2000 vintage wine was supposed to be served, but instead, a 2005 vintage product priced about 100,000 won cheaper was provided. When the customer, who noticed this late, protested to the assigned sommelier, the response—instead of an apology—"I'll let you taste the 2000 vintage as well"—fueled further controversy.

In addition, Mosu Seoul issued a statement that appeared to engage in a blame game with the victim's disclosure: "After the incident occurred, we apologized separately to the customer, who accepted it generously. However, considering the expectations sent to our restaurant, we take seriously that this process was not sufficient." The statement drew heavy criticism.

Ultimately, Mosu Seoul faced backlash as more disclosures emerged, including: "I remember the companion I went with never said sorry until the end," "As someone who had an unpleasant experience at Mosu, the most puzzling part of Mosu's service was that even though I pointed out the problem on the spot, there was no apology, and they asked the customer whether to resolve it or not. The most important cause of the incident seems missing from this apology. Why did this happen? When did you become aware of the problem? Was it intentional or a mistake?" and "On July 8 last year, after visiting with my wife's mother-in-law for four people to celebrate my wife's childbirth, only two of us ordered pairing wines, but Dom Pérignon was removed in the middle."

In response, Chef Ahn Sung-jae, late in May, bowed his head and stated, "We submitted a report according to company regulations and have taken measures to exclude the sommelier responsible for customers' wines from their position going forward."

However, the fallout from the "wine swap" has not ended. Last month, it was reported that the Michelin headquarters in France has officially launched an investigation into the "wine swap" controversy at Mosu Seoul. It is understood that Michelin stated, "We have shared this information with our quality inspection team and will carefully review this matter."

Meanwhile, Chef Ahn Sung-jae gained wider recognition by serving as a judge for seasons 1 and 2 of the OTT Netflix variety show "Black & White Chefs: Culinary Class War" alongside Baek Jong-won.

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*This content was translated by AI.