Chef loses job over pineapple pizza dispute

An Italian chef's strong views on pizza toppings became the center of a workplace dispute in Australia after he refused to use pineapple as a topping.

Davide Tamburella lost his job at La Costa, a Brisbane restaurant that has since closed. His refusal to use pineapple was one of several issues that led to his dismissal in May.

Tamburella believed adding pineapple to pizza disrespected Italian food culture. He had turned down similar requests three times over four years and even asked his employer to understand why Italians objected to the topping.

The disagreement reached Australia's Fair Work Commission after Tamburella challenged his dismissal. Tamburella lost on a technicality: the commission ruled that he filed too late, not that his complaint was unfounded.

The issue runs deeper
Restaurant director Elliot Ingram said the disagreement involved much more than pineapple on pizza.

The restaurant accused the chef of using offensive language, communicating poorly, and letting his frustration affect colleagues. An incident in April further raised concerns when he broke bones in his right hand after punching a metal handrail.