'Not on my dough': Italian chef sacked for refusing to put pineapple on pizza fires back after losing Fair Work claim

An Italian chef who was fired from his job at a Brisbane restaurant after he refused to use pineapple as a pizza topping has spoken out after his story went viral. David Tamburella was dismissed on May 20 after he claimed adding pineapple to pizza was an 'insult to his culture'.He had been working at La Costa Restaurant and Bar in hipster haunt Fortitude Valley two weeks before that when he was called into a meeting to discuss 'performance concerns' including the refusal to add the tropical fruit to pizzas at a function.Mr Tamburella confirmed at that meeting he was aware that his boss, Elliot Ingram, had instructed pineapple be used, but that he found it offensive as an Italian.Mr Ingram later shot back saying 'we're not in Italy' and explaining the pizza argument was only the last straw in a series of similar incidents.The matter went to workplace umpire the Fair Work Commission, who found in a decision published on November 3 that the Italian chef had missed the cutoff to file a challenge to the termination of his employment and that it would not hear his appeal.It did not make a decision on whether his sacking was justified.The story made headlines around the world and, now, Mr Tamburella has broken his silence to give another slice of insight into the whole saga. Italian chef Davide Tamburella has had a workplace claim dismissed after he refused to put pineapple on pizzas as it was considered 'insult to his culture' The chef told his boss to research the cultural importance some Italians placed on not putting pineapple on pizzaThe chef told The Courier-Mail that he doesn't have a problem with pineapple in general and even enjoys it by itself or on other foods.He could even abide it on store-bought pizza bases, he said, but the main problem he had was that he was asked to put it on his own dough, made from a recipe handed down to him by his late grandmother.'I'm nobody to tell you, especially if you're the owner, not to do it. But not on my dough,' he said.The chef also revealed he has received support for his stance from around the globe, particularly his native country.'In Italy, I'm definitely a hero … mostly because I stood my ground,' he said.He also said it wasn't just adhering to tradition, but that the sweetness and acidity of the fruit would detract from the dough, which was supposed to be the star, and that as head chef it was his call to make. Australians haven't been convinced, however, with Mr Tamburella saying some have even called for him to be deported.Many consider it a classic Australian dish similar to beetroot on burgers, even though it's called Hawaiian pizza when paired with ham. Davide Tamburella was dismissed from La Costa Restaurant and Bar in Fortitude Valley on May 20 Restaurant owner Elliot Ingram (pictured) has doubled down after an Italian pizza chef was fired following his refusal to put pineapple on pizzasAs a side note, it was actually invented by a Greek chef living in Ontario, Canada in the 1960s, but that's another story.Mr Ingram, who closed the doors of La Costa in June but owns other Brisbane restaurants, previously told the Daily Mail there was 'more to this story than a pizza topping'.'As recorded in the Fair Work Commission's published decision, refusing to follow a management direction relating to a customer request was one of several matters raised during the disciplinary process,' he said on Thursday.'The decision records the concerns we raised about inappropriate language, escalation during service and interactions with staff.'Our position in the proceedings was that Mr Tamburella's workplace injury, medical leave and workers' compensation claim played no part in our decision to end his employment.'The Commission dismissed his general protections dismissal application after refusing an extension to the filing deadline. It did not finally determine his claim about the reasons for his dismissal.'Mr Tamburella has since become head chef at Don Gino in West End, according to his LinkedIn profile.The Daily Mail has approached him for comment.