Chef loses job-back bid over pineapple dispute at Brisbane restaurant

Davide Tamburella has lost his legal bid to regain his position as head chef at La Costa, an Italian restaurant in Brisbane, after a tribunal found his dismissal over a pineapple dispute was procedurally flawed. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) dismissed his application on November 5, 2026, citing that the claim was filed beyond the statutory deadline and failed to meet criteria for exceptional circumstances.

The conflict centered on a specific menu item. Tamburella, an Italian national, refused to place pineapple on pizzas, describing the topping as an insult to his culture. His employer, Elliot Ingram, argued that customer demand for the fruit-topped dish was a primary operational factor in the decision to terminate the chef's employment.

The timeline of events began in early May 2026. Tamburella was called to meet with Ingram to address performance concerns. On May 20, 2026, Tamburella was dismissed. At the time of his firing, Tamburella was in the third year of an 186 visa process, an employer-sponsored pathway to permanent residency in Australia. Ingram stated he waited until he was legally required to notify authorities that he was no longer sponsoring the chef, hoping the visa would be approved first. It was not, forcing Tamburella to restart the application process from the beginning.

Ingram cited a large private function as the immediate trigger for the dismissal. The client for the event, which involved spending in excess of $15,000, explicitly requested ham and pineapple pizzas. Tamburella acknowledged this was the third time he had refused the specific instruction. Instead of complying, he asked Ingram to check how important it was for Italians to avoid pineapple on pizza. Ingram noted that while he personally did not prefer the topping, he had included it on the kids' menu previously and believed in picking his battles after 17 years in hospitality.

Tamburella argued that his termination violated the Fair Work Act. He claimed his dismissal was partly motivated by a workplace injury that occurred when he struck a metal handrail, fracturing his right hand in two places. Commissioner Jennifer Hunt rejected this general protections application, determining that the timing of the filing was the primary reason for the loss.

La Costa, which featured sea foam-green decor and European oak tables, closed in July 2026 when its lease expired. Ingram attributed the closure to the high cost of operating in the Fortitude Valley district. The restaurant had marketed itself as a slice of the Italian Riviera, promising diners an authentic experience.

In Australia, particularly in Queensland, the pineapple is a cultural icon, with a large monument built in its honor. While many locals view the fruit on pizza as standard, the dispute illustrated the friction between local expectations and specific culinary traditions. The ruling leaves Tamburella without his previous role and requires him to re-enter the visa sponsorship queue.

Tamburella is currently employed at another Italian restaurant. That establishment does not list pineapple on its menu. The FWC ruling stands as a final decision on the general protections claim, though it does not address the underlying visa sponsorship status.