Italian chef dismissed after refusing to add pineapple to pizza in Brisbane

A chef at La Costa Restaurant and Bar in Fortitude Valley was dismissed on May 20 after repeatedly refusing to add pineapple to pizza, which he said offended his Italian heritage. The Fair Work Commission ruled on November 3 that the dismissal was lawful, noting the chef had been warned about performance and language issues and that his unfair-dismissal claim was filed after the statutory deadline.

Commissioner Jennifer Hunt said the chef had attended a meeting with employer Elliot Ingram two weeks before his termination to discuss concerns, including his refusal to follow a direction to use pineapple as a topping at a function. The chef told his employer the topping was an insult to his culture and asked him to research the cultural importance Italians place on traditional pizza.

The commission also cited an earlier incident on April 24 when the chef fractured fingers on his dominant hand after striking a metal handrail, and noted “inappropriate language and escalation of the situation during service.”

After the claim was rejected, the chef, Davide Tamburella, moved to a new role as head chef at Don Gino in West End. The case has drawn attention to Fortitude Valley’s blend of historic Italian influence and modern inner-city development, where median house prices are about $820,000 and units around $710,000.