Overview
- La Costa dismissed chef Davide Tamburella in May 2026 after a management meeting that followed multiple complaints about his conduct and repeated refusals to prepare ham-and-pineapple pizzas.
- The Fair Work Commission published its decision on November 5, 2026 and rejected Tamburella’s unfair dismissal claim as time-barred rather than deciding the substantive merits of the firing.
- Following his dismissal the restaurant withdrew support for Tamburella’s employer-sponsored permanent-visa (subclass 186) application that had been underway for more than three years, forcing him to restart the process.
- Owner testimony to the tribunal said the business sometimes had to fulfil contested orders, noting a private event that paid over A$15,000 and specifically requested ham-and-pineapple pizzas as an example of the economic pressure on staff.
- La Costa closed in July 2026 when its lease expired and Tamburella has since taken a job at another Brisbane Italian restaurant whose menu reportedly excludes pineapple-topped pizzas; the case highlights strict Fair Work time limits and how workplace conduct, cultural claims and visa sponsorship can intersect.