Italian chef loses unfair dismissal case after refusing to serve pineapple pizza

BRISBANE, Australia — An Italian chef who was dismissed after refusing to prepare ham-and-pineapple pizzas has lost his unfair dismissal claim before Australia's workplace tribunal.

Davide Tamburella, who worked as head chef at La Costa Restaurant and Bar in Brisbane, argued that putting pineapple on pizza was an insult to his Italian heritage and went against his cultural beliefs.

The dispute arose after he refused to fulfil a request for ham-and-pineapple pizzas for a private function. According to the Fair Work Commission's ruling, it was the third time in four years that Tamburella had objected to preparing the controversial pizza combination.

He was dismissed from his position on 20 May.

However, the restaurant's management maintained that the decision was not based solely on the disagreement over pizza toppings. Other concerns reportedly included his communication style, use of inappropriate language and growing frustration in the workplace.

Tamburella subsequently lodged an unfair dismissal application with the Fair Work Commission in July. However, the tribunal rejected his application because it had been filed outside the mandatory 21-day time limit. It found insufficient grounds to extend the deadline.

The ruling did not determine whether his dismissal was fair on its merits.

The dispute also affected Tamburella's hopes of securing employer-sponsored permanent residency in Australia, as his visa sponsorship process ended following his dismissal.

La Costa subsequently closed in July after its lease expired, with its management citing rising business costs.

The case has reignited the long-running debate over pineapple as a pizza topping, particularly among Italians who regard traditional pizza-making as an important part of their culinary heritage.

The Hawaiian pizza, which combines ham and pineapple, was originally created in Canada in 1962 by Greek-born restaurateur Sam Panopoulos.