Chef Anh Sung-jae has released a personal apology regarding the recent wine service controversy at his fine-dining restaurant.
On the 6th, Anh stated on his social media, "I once again sincerely apologize for the inadequate service that occurred at my restaurant, MOSU, which caused disappointment. I deeply apologize to the customers who must have felt greatly let down by this incident."
After reviewing CCTV footage and staff movements, he admitted that the sommelier in charge had mistakenly served the 2005 vintage instead of the 2000 vintage and provided incorrect information. He explained that although the staff member realized the mistake afterward, they failed to inform the customer immediately. When asked for a photo, the staff member, in a state of panic, provided a 2000 vintage bottle that was different from the wine actually served, leading to an inappropriate response.
Anh specifically corrected the previous explanation that "the wine was taken from a bottle ordered by a customer on the first floor," stating that it was not true. He clarified, "The sommelier, in a panic, improvised an explanation that was not based on facts. The 2000 and 2005 vintage bottles were both stored in the second-floor backside wine storage area at the time." He added, "I have required the sommelier in question to submit a written statement according to company policy and have removed them from the position of managing customer wine service."
Finally, Anh added, "As the owner-chef who takes full responsibility for MOSU, I will manage the restaurant thoroughly to ensure such an incident does not happen again."
The controversy began with a post on a wine community on the 21st of last month. The author claimed that while receiving wine pairing services at MOSU Seoul on April 18, they were served a 2005 vintage, which is approximately 100,000 won cheaper, instead of the 'Château Léoville Barton 2000' vintage listed on the menu. The author pointed out that during the process of raising the issue, the sommelier's explanation kept changing, and no proper apology was offered.
Immediately following the controversy, MOSU Seoul issued an apology under the restaurant's name, stating, "We caused confusion due to a lack of accurate guidance." However, consumers criticized the response, saying, "There is no clear explanation as to whether it was a simple mistake or intentional," and "The measures to prevent recurrence are insufficient." The controversy further escalated after wine YouTuber 'Wine King' publicly criticized the matter, stating, "This is not a simple mistake but could be considered wine fraud."
Meanwhile, Anh Sung-jae significantly increased his public profile through the Netflix variety show 'Culinary Class Wars,' and 'MOSU Seoul,' which he operates, has also garnered attention as a leading fine-dining restaurant in Korea.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
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