Brisbane pizza restaurant owner defends chef's dismissal over pineapple topping

A Brisbane pizza venue, La Costa in Fortitude Valley, has stood by its decision to dismiss chef Davide Tamburella, who refused to add pineapple to a pizza. The Fair Work Commission upheld the termination last week.

Appearing on the Today show, owner Elliot Ingram said the pineapple incident was only one factor among several, including inappropriate language, unmet customer requests and kitchen leadership concerns. He described the decision as the result of a "reasonable process" and emphasized his long experience in the hospitality industry.

Ingram added that pineapple is a common topping in Queensland, describing the state as "the pineapple capital of Australia" and saying restaurants must adapt to customer preferences. He noted that other establishments have served pineapple on pizza without issue.

The restaurant plans to mark Queensland Pineapple Day with a special ham-and-pineapple pizza called “Nonna’s Night Off.”