Italian Chef Loses Job in Pineapple Pizza Dispute

WHO:

BBC News - Davide Tamburella was an Italian chef employed by an Australian restaurant.

Newser - Tamburella challenged his dismissal at Australia’s Fair Work Commission.

BBC - Tamburella’s management directed him to provide ham-and-pineapple pizza for guests at a function.

WHAT:

BBC News - Tamburella refused to put pineapple on pizza, describing it as “offensive to his culture.”

BBC - One cited incident involved Tamburella refusing to provide ham-and-pineapple pizza for guests at a function.

BBC - Tamburella said management directions “need not be followed when it is offensive to his culture”.

Newser - The Fair Work Commission rejected Tamburella’s claim that he had been unfairly dismissed.

Newser - Tamburella said he was terminated in May after repeatedly refusing customer requests for ham-and-pineapple pizza.

Newser - Tamburella argued that the topping was “an insult to his culture” and claimed his termination was partly related to a hand injury.

Newser - Other cited reasons for his firing included “acknowledged use of inappropriate language and escalation of the situation during service.”

Newser - The account of the customer requests was attributed to the Guardian; the other reasons were attributed to the London Times.

WHERE:

BBC News - Tamburella’s employer was an Australian restaurant.

Newser - The restaurant was La Costa, a now-closed restaurant in Brisbane, Australia.

WHY:

BBC News - Tamburella objected to pineapple on pizza because he considered it offensive to Italian culture.

Newser - Tamburella said his dismissal was unjust and claimed it was partly connected to a workplace injury to his hand.

HOW:

Newser - Tamburella pursued an unfair-dismissal case before Australia’s Fair Work Commission; the commission rejected his claim.

(UPDATED November 5, 2026 19:08 UTC)

An Australian labor commission rejected chef Davide Tamburella’s claim that his dismissal was unfair. He refused management’s requests to serve ham-and-pineapple pizza, calling it offensive to Italian culture. The restaurant also cited inappropriate language and escalating tensions during service as reasons for his firing.