OMM Newsroom
An Italian chef who refused to put pineapple on pizza because he considered it an “insult to his culture” was fired from a restaurant in Brisbane, Australia, according to the BBC.
Davide Tamburella was dismissed from the now-closed “La Costa” in May, two weeks after a meeting with management, which had raised several concerns about his behaviour. One complaint was his refusal to make ham and pineapple pizzas for guests at a function.
At the time, Tamburella said management’s instructions “need not be followed when it is offensive to his culture”. In a ruling released on Tuesday, the Fair Work Commission said he considered adding pineapple to pizza an insult to his culture as an Italian. It also noted that this was the third time in four years he had refused to use the fruit on pizzas.
Tamburella had previously asked his boss to “check how important it is for Italians not to put pineapple on a pizza”.
Queensland, where the restaurant was located, is regarded as Australia’s pineapple heartland and produces all of the country’s commercially grown pineapples. On the Sunshine Coast, visitors often stop to take photos beside “The Big Pineapple”, a heritage-listed, 16m-tall fibreglass model that has become a local landmark.
Other concerns cited in the ruling included Tamburella’s use of foul language, his communication style and an “escalation of frustration in the workplace”. The ruling also described an incident in April this year in which he fractured bones in his right hand after striking a metal hand rail.
Tamburella had hoped the restaurant would sponsor a visa allowing him to become a permanent resident as a skilled worker. The restaurant ended the visa process after firing him, the commission heard.
He lost his unfair dismissal claim because it was filed too late, according to the ruling. The restaurant’s managing director, Elliot Ingram, told the “Daily Mail” there was “more to this story than a pizza topping”. The BBC said it had approached Tamburella for comment.
On his “LinkedIn” profile, Tamburella describes himself as having focused throughout his career on “delivering exceptional food” and “improving business performance”. Three months ago, he posted a “letter for chefs” on the theme of “respecting the ingredients”. His profile says he now works at another Brisbane restaurant; a BBC check found that pineapple is not on its menu.
