An Italian chef dismissed from a Brisbane restaurant after refusing to put pineapple on a pizza has spoken publicly after the dispute attracted international attention.
Davide Tamburella lost his job on May 20 after describing the request to add pineapple to his pizzas as an “insult to his culture”.
He had worked at La Costa Restaurant and Bar in Fortitude Valley for about two weeks when management called him to a meeting over alleged performance concerns. Among the issues discussed was his refusal to use the tropical fruit on pizzas being prepared for a function.
During the meeting, Mr Tamburella acknowledged that owner Elliot Ingram had directed staff to include pineapple, but said he considered the instruction offensive as an Italian chef.
Mr Ingram responded that “we’re not in Italy”, while maintaining that the pineapple dispute was only one part of a broader pattern of workplace incidents.
The dispute was later considered by the Fair Work Commission. In a decision published on November 3, the workplace tribunal found that Mr Tamburella had missed the deadline to challenge his dismissal and declined to hear the appeal.
The Commission did not rule on whether the termination itself was justified.
The unusual workplace dispute quickly became an international news story. Now, Mr Tamburella has shared more details about the argument that turned a pizza topping into a global talking point.
Italian chef Davide Tamburella had his workplace claim dismissed after refusing to put pineapple on pizza, which he described as an “insult to his culture”
The chef said his boss should look into the cultural significance that some Italians attach to keeping pineapple off pizza
Speaking to The Courier-Mail, the chef stressed that he does not dislike pineapple and is happy to eat it on its own or with other dishes.
He said he could even accept pineapple on a mass-produced pizza base. His objection, however, was to placing it on dough he prepared himself using a recipe passed down by his late grandmother.
“I’m nobody to tell you, especially if you’re the owner, not to do it. But not on my dough,” he said.
Mr Tamburella also said his position had attracted support from people around the world, particularly in Italy, where he was born.
“In Italy, I’m definitely a hero … mostly because I stood my ground,” he said.
For him, the issue was about more than culinary tradition. He argued that the fruit’s sweetness and acidity would overpower the dough, which he believed should remain the central feature of the dish. As head chef, he said, the final decision was his responsibility.
That view has not been universally welcomed in Australia. Mr Tamburella said some critics had even called for him to be deported.
Many Australians regard pineapple and ham pizza as a familiar local favourite, much like adding beetroot to a burger, despite the dish commonly being known as Hawaiian pizza.
Davide Tamburella was dismissed from La Costa Restaurant and Bar in Fortitude Valley on May 20
Restaurant owner Elliot Ingram, pictured, has stood by his decision after dismissing the Italian pizza chef over his refusal to use pineapple
The pizza’s name can be misleading, too: Hawaiian pizza was actually created in the 1960s by a Greek chef living in Ontario, Canada.
Mr Ingram, who shut La Costa in June but continues to operate other Brisbane restaurants, previously told Our News Outlet that the dispute involved far more than a single pizza topping.
“As recorded in the Fair Work Commission’s published decision, refusing to follow a management direction relating to a customer request was one of several matters raised during the disciplinary process,” he said on Thursday.
“The decision records the concerns we raised about inappropriate language, escalation during service and interactions with staff.
“Our position in the proceedings was that Mr Tamburella’s workplace injury, medical leave and workers’ compensation claim played no part in our decision to end his employment.
“The Commission dismissed his general protections dismissal application after refusing an extension to the filing deadline. It did not finally determine his claim about the reasons for his dismissal.”
Mr Tamburella has since taken on a new role as head chef at Don Gino in West End, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Our News Outlet has contacted him for further comment.
