An Italian chef has been dismissed from a Brisbane restaurant after he refused to put pineapple on a pizza, arguing that it was an insult to his culture. Davide Tamburella was fired from La Costa restaurant in May, just two weeks after a meeting with management who had a series of complaints about his conduct.
The Pineapple Dispute
Among the complaints was Tamburella's refusal to prepare a ham and pineapple pizza for guests at a function. The chef had stated that any direction from management "need not be followed when it is offensive to his culture." The details emerged after Tamburella took his case to Australia's Fair Work Commission, claiming unfair dismissal. In its ruling released on Tuesday, the commission noted that Tamburella's refusal was because "he considers, as an Italian, that putting pineapple on a pizza is an insult to his culture." It was also noted that this was the third time in four years that Tamburella had refused to use the fruit on pizzas. He had previously asked his boss to "check how important it is for Italians not to put pineapple on a pizza."
Queensland, where the restaurant is located, is known as Australia's pineapple heartland and produces all of the country's commercially grown pineapples. On the Sunshine Coast, visitors often stop to take photos next to The Big Pineapple, a heritage-listed 16-meter-tall fibreglass model of the fruit that has become a local landmark.
Other Workplace Issues
The commission also heard about other concerns regarding Tamburella's use of foul language, his communication style, and "escalation of frustration in the workplace." The ruling detailed an incident in April this year where Tamburella fractured bones in his right hand after striking a metal handrail.
Tamburella had been hoping that the restaurant would sponsor a visa for him that would allow skilled workers to become permanent residents. However, after his dismissal, the restaurant ended that process, the tribunal heard. He lost his unfair dismissal claim on the grounds that the application had been filed too late, according to the ruling.
The restaurant's managing director, Elliot Ingram, told the Daily Mail that there was "more to this story than a pizza topping." The BBC has approached Tamburella for comment.
On his LinkedIn profile, Tamburella describes himself as someone who, throughout his career, has focused on "delivering exceptional food" and "improving business performance." Three months ago, he posted a "letter for chefs" with the theme "respecting the ingredients." His profile states that he now works at another Brisbane restaurant. A BBC check has found that pineapple is not on that restaurant's menu.
