Chef fired over refusal to put pineapple on pizza
Dhaka: An Italian chef in Brisbane, Australia, has lost his job after refusing to put pineapple on a pizza, saying doing so would insult his culture.
Davide Tamburella was dismissed in May from the now-closed La Costa restaurant, two weeks after a meeting with management over a series of complaints about his conduct.
One of the complaints was his refusal to prepare ham and pineapple pizzas for guests at a function. He had reportedly said management directions did not need to be followed if they were offensive to his culture.
The details emerged after Tamburella took the matter to Australia's Fair Work Commission, claiming he had been unfairly dismissed.
In its ruling released on November 3, the commission noted that the chef considered pineapple on pizza an insult to him as an Italian. It added that this was the third time in four years he had refused to use the fruit on pizzas.
He had earlier asked his boss to check how important it was for Italians not to put pineapple on pizza.
Other concerns raised against him included the use of foul language, his communication style, and growing frustration in the workplace.
The ruling also described an incident in April, when Tamburella fractured bones in his right hand after striking a metal handrail.
He had hoped the restaurant would sponsor a visa allowing skilled workers to become permanent residents. However, the restaurant ended the process after his dismissal, the tribunal heard.
Tamburella lost his unfair dismissal claim because the application was filed too late, according to the ruling.
The restaurant's managing director, Elliot Ingram, told the media that there was more to the story than a pizza topping.
Interestingly, Queensland, where the restaurant was located, is regarded as Australia's pineapple heartland and produces all of the country's commercially grown pineapples.
According to his social media profile, Tamburella now works at another Brisbane restaurant, where pineapple is reportedly not on the menu.
