Restaurant explains pineapple chef's firing
The gist
Italian chef Davide Tamburella lost his unfair dismissal claim against Brisbane's La Costa after refusing to put pineapple on pizza.
The Fair Work Commission ruled the claim was filed too late, not on the pizza dispute itself.
How it unfolded
- Apr 2026Tamburella fractured bones in his right hand when he struck a metal hand rail at work.
- May 2026Tamburella was fired from La Costa, a fortnight after a meeting with management who had a string of complaints about his behaviour, including his refusal to provide ham and pineapple pizza for guests at a function.
- Oct 7, 2026Older coverage reported that the Italian chef lost his job at the Brisbane restaurant partly due to his refusal to add pineapple to pizza.
Key terms
- unfair dismissal claim
- Termination of employment without good reason or in violation of a country's labour legislation.
- Fair Work Commission
- Australia's industrial relations tribunal that rules on workplace disputes and employment matters.
Source: Wikipedia