Arabic version: مالك مطعم يوضح عوامل فصل الطاهي

According to ABC News, the owner of a Brisbane restaurant says a chef’s refusal to put pineapple on a pizza was not the sole reason for his dismissal.

Italian chef Davide Tamburella was fired from the now-closed La Costa restaurant in Fortitude Valley in May. He later lodged an unfair dismissal claim, saying it was offensive to his culture to put pineapple on a pizza. The Fair Work Commission rejected the claim this week.

La Costa owner Elliot Ingram said the customer’s request, made during a birthday celebration, contributed to the termination decision but was not its “one defining factor”. He said there were a “multitude of different factors” in the decision.

The commission noted it was the third time in four years that Mr Tamburella had refused the request. It also cited his acknowledged use of inappropriate language and ongoing concerns about leadership behaviour and professionalism among the reasons for dismissal.

The commission heard Mr Tamburella injured his hand and fractured two bones in his right hand after striking a metal handrail at work. It found he filed his application more than 21 days after his dismissal and that there were no exceptional circumstances to extend the deadline.