Italian chef fired after refusing pineapple on pizza finds new job at pineapple-free restaurant
An Italian chef who refused to put pineapple on pizza because he considered it an insult to his culture has lost an unfair dismissal case in Australia - but has apparently found a happier workplace, at a restaurant where pineapple is not on the menu.
Davide Tamburella was fired from La Costa, a restaurant in Brisbane, in May 2026 after management raised several concerns about his conduct, the BBC reported, citing a ruling by Australia's Fair Work Commission.
Among the complaints was his refusal to prepare ham-and-pineapple pizzas for guests at a function.
Tamburella argued that management instructions did not have to be followed when they were offensive to his culture.
The commission noted that, as an Italian, he considered putting pineapple on pizza "an insult to his culture." It was reportedly the third time in four years that he 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."
The culinary standoff took place in Queensland, which produces all of Australia's commercially grown pineapples. The state is even home to the Big Pineapple, a 16-meter (52-foot) fiberglass landmark.
However, pineapple was not the only issue in the workplace dispute.
Management also complained about Tamburella's use of foul language, communication style and growing frustration at work. The commission's ruling described an incident in April in which the chef fractured bones in his right hand after striking a metal handrail.
La Costa's managing director, Elliot Ingram, told the Daily Mail there was "more to this story than a pizza topping."
Tamburella had also hoped the restaurant would sponsor a visa allowing him to obtain permanent residency as a skilled worker, but the employer ended the process after his dismissal.
The chef challenged his firing before Australia's Fair Work Commission, but his claim was rejected because he filed it after the deadline. The commission did not rule on whether the dismissal itself was fair.
La Costa has since closed.
According to Tamburella's LinkedIn profile, he now works at another restaurant in Brisbane. The BBC checked its menu and found no pineapple.
The chef, it seems, has finally found a workplace where his culinary principles are unlikely to be tested.
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