Passionate chef threatened to kill co-worker over best way to make pizza

A "passionate" chef threatened to kill a co-worker with a knife over the best way to make a pizza at a restaurant in Australia's Northern Territory, a court has heard. Darwin Magistrates Court heard a fight broke out between Francesco Cristofaro, 21, and another employee of the Super Pizza restaurant in Fannie Bay last month.



At the height of the argument, the court heard a screaming Cristofaro chased the victim with a knife, yelling "tonight, I kill you". Magistrate Greg Smith told Cristofaro that "passion is sometimes a good thing, but running around with a knife is misplaced passion".

Lawyer Peter Maley said his client is "a passionate cook that cares a great deal about the art of making pizzas". "He has never been in trouble with the law here or in Europe," he added. He said Cristofaro was living in Australia on a working holiday visa from Italy, with his girlfriend also working at the restaurant.



Mr Maley told the court his client had been incarcerated in the Howard Springs Correctional Facility since late last month and had found the experience traumatic with his limited knowledge of English. Magistrate Smith said Cristofaro "might be a good cook, but the use of a knife by a cook is not always good". "Hopefully this sentence teaches you a lesson," Magistrate Smith told Cristofaro. Cristofaro was sentenced to four months' jail, suspended for 12 months.