AN ITALIAN chef has been sacked after refusing to put pineapple on pizza, claiming it was an insult to his culture.
Pizza-purist, Davide Tamburella, was let go from the now shuttered La Costa restaurant in Brisbane, , following a string of complaints concerning his behaviour.
Among them was his refusal to top a batch of pizzas with the controversial topping at a function earlier this year.
The details have recently come to light after the chef went to Australia’s Fair Work Commission claiming he had been unfairly dismissed.
On Tuesday, when handing down their decision, the body noted that Tamburella’s refusal to put pineapple on the pizzas was because “he considers, as an Italian, that putting pineapple on a pizza is an insult to his culture”.
Despite this, he lost his unfair dismissal claim on the grounds that the application had been filed too late, according to the ruling.
The commission also noted it was the third time in four years that Tamburella had rejected the topping.
Tamburella had previously requested his boss to “check how important it is for Italians not to put pineapple on a pizza”.
The body also noted that various concerns were raised about Tamburella’s use of foul language, his communication style and “escalation of frustration in the workplace”.
Also detailed in the ruling was an incident at work in April this year where Tamburella fractured bones in his right hand when he struck a metal hand rail.
Prior to his sacking, Tamburella had been hoping the restaurant would sponsor a visa which would grant him permanent residents.
But the restaurant ended the sponsorship process when he was let go, the tribunal heard.
On the chef’s profile, he describes himself as someone who, throughout his career, has focused on “delivering exceptional food” and “improving business performance”.
Three months ago he posted a “letter for chefs” with the theme “respecting the ingredients”.
The LinkedIn profile states he now works at another Brisbane restaurant where pineapple is not on its menu, the BBC reports.
It comes as a wicked waitress was charged after she in a sickening act of revenge on the Costa Del Sol.
Holidaymakers had a lucky escape after the worker doused the
After learning the Benalmadena resort wouldn’t renew her waitress contract, the woman hatched the vengeful plan to sabotage the venue.
But she was thwarted when she was spotted pouring a glass of bleach directly onto a tray containing yogurt, pineapple and watermelon, foods that were ready for consumption by the guests of the hotel.
The woman was arrested and later handed a one year suspended sentence for her toxic-food-tampering crimes.
Subsequent tests on the food were later confirmed to have been tainted with bleach, according to cops.
The prosecution said she acted with the “clear intention of harming the hotel through food poisoning.”
