Italian chef Davide Tamburella was dismissed from La Costa restaurant in Brisbane after repeatedly refusing to put pineapple on pizzas, saying this insulted his culture. He acknowledged refusing the topping three times over four years. The restaurant owner said the refusal to follow a management instruction was only one of several concerns, which also included alleged inappropriate language, escalation of situations during service and dealings with colleagues.

Tamburella challenged the dismissal before the Australian labour commission, but the case was dismissed without a ruling on its merits because his complaint was filed after the legal deadline. La Costa is now permanently closed, and Tamburella is working at another Italian restaurant in Brisbane, according to several reports.