Italian chef fired after refusing to put pineapple on pizza

Italian chef Davide Tamburella was dismissed from Brisbane’s now-closed La Costa restaurant in May, after refusing to serve ham-and-pineapple pizzas at a function. He argued that adding pineapple was offensive to his Italian culture, and a Fair Work Commission ruling noted this was the third time in four years he had refused to use the fruit. Queensland, where the restaurant was located, is Australia’s main pineapple-growing state. Tamburella had previously asked his employer to consider how strongly Italians object to pineapple on pizza.

The refusal was one of several concerns management raised at a meeting before his dismissal. They also cited his use of foul language, communication style and growing frustration at work; in April, he fractured bones in his right hand after striking a metal handrail. Tamburella had hoped the restaurant would sponsor a skilled-worker visa that could lead to permanent residency, but the process ended after he was fired. He challenged the dismissal as unfair, but the commission rejected his claim because it was filed too late, rather than ruling on whether the dismissal itself was justified. The restaurant’s managing director said the dispute involved more than a pizza topping. Tamburella’s professional profile indicates he now works at another Brisbane restaurant, whose menu does not include pineapple.