Ahn Sungjae Clarifies Wine Swapping Incident

Chef Ahn Seong-jae has directly addressed the "wine swapping" controversy at his fine dining restaurant 'Mosu Seoul,' stating that the issue has been resolved and the employee involved has been disciplined. Chef Ahn posted on his social media (SNS) acknowledging his responsibility for everything that happened at Mosu, but explained he felt compelled to post due to the spread of misinformation. He detailed the movements of staff and the wine service process on April 18th, the day the incident occurred, based on internal CCTV footage.

Four guests visited the table in question. One guest ordered a 7-glass wine pairing, while three guests ordered a 4-glass pairing. The 7-glass pairing was supposed to include 'Domaine du Collier, La Charpentrie Rouge 2014,' and the 4-glass pairing was to include 'Chateau Leoville Barton, Saint Julien 2000.' However, the sommelier mistakenly served the 2005 vintage instead of the 2000 vintage and incorrectly stated it was the 2005 vintage. After finishing his explanation, the sommelier realized his mistake. But when the customer requested a photo of the wine label, he made the wrong decision, thinking, "The photo should show the correct vintage." Instead of explaining the situation to the customer as any reasonable person would, he showed them a bottle of the 2000 vintage wine, which was different from what was actually served.

Chef Ahn explained that the 2000 and 2005 vintage wine bottles were stored next to each other, leading to the sommelier's mistake. When the customer requested a photo, the sommelier brought out the 2000 vintage bottle. The sommelier then left to inform his superior, the assistant manager, about the situation. During his absence, the Korean beef dish was served. When the customer raised concerns about the wine, the flustered sommelier made an inappropriate, impromptu statement that was completely untrue, such as "The 2000 vintage wine was ordered by the bottle and was downstairs." Furthermore, while re-pouring the 2000 vintage wine, he made remarks like, "You are studying wine, and I hope my mistake allows you to compare the 2000 and 2005 vintages." This was an inappropriate response, as a clear explanation of the situation and a sincere apology should have been prioritized.

Subsequently, only a partial report of the situation was made to the manager overseeing floor service. The manager, after confirming that the 2000 vintage wine had been re-served, instructed that a dessert wine be provided additionally. Although dessert wine was not originally included in the 4-glass pairing, it was offered to all three guests as an apology for the service error and inadequate response. The floor service team believed the matter was resolved at this point. However, Chef Ahn did not receive a report until April 21st, after two days off. He blamed himself, stating, "Everything from the occurrence of the mistake to the handling of it was inappropriate," and acknowledged the significant disappointment the customers must have felt.

Chef Ahn stated that he required the sommelier to submit a written explanation according to company policy and took action to remove the sommelier from the position responsible for serving customer wines. As an owner-chef who takes full responsibility for all customers, he promised to prevent recurrence. He emphasized that this incident would serve as a reminder to never forget the essence of a restaurant, the proper attitude of someone working in the food service industry, and a sincere heart towards food and customers. He pledged to remain humble and continue to strive for excellence, maintaining his initial resolve.