Melbourne restaurant owner explodes at customers

News.com.au

17-06-2025

A dramatic video has emerged of a heated altercation at one of Melbourne's trendiest Italian restaurants after chef and owner Pietro Barbagallo confronted a group of diners who complained their prawn pasta was too spicy.
The incident, which took place in April but has only recently gone viral, occurred at Kaprica in Carlton – an eatery that is currently trending thanks to TikTok.
On the night in question, the group ordered wine and starters, but when the prawn pasta main arrived, a customer claimed it was too spicy.
At some point during the incident, one of the diners decided to record a video message for his boyfriend, complaining about the meal.
'I literally had like, the chilliest food tonight, and it was so spicy,' the unidentified man told the camera, footage of which was later published by The Age.
The situation reportedly escalated when chef Barbagallo was informed about the customers' complaint and became enraged.
He then appeared behind the group as the man was recording the video.
'Really? Really you have to do that?' he could be heard saying in the clip.
The confused customer responded, 'What's wrong?' but Barbagallo's tone quickly shifted.
'This is what you're doing in my restaurant, in my house,' he said.
The customer appeared shocked and replied, 'This is so abusive'.
Barbagallo then demanded the group leave the restaurant.
'You get out now,' he demanded.
According to the footage, the chef attempted to grab the recording phone and then yanked at the tablecloth, collecting the plates within it and sending some crashing to the floor.
'Turn that f***ing phone off! You and your f***ing phone!' Barbagallo shouted at the group. 'Get out of my f***ing restaurant!'
The Age interviewed five eyewitnesses about the incident.
One witness claimed the pasta dish was 'inedible' due to the overwhelming chilli flavour.
'All the pasta was running down the wall,' the witness reported.
During the confrontation, people outside the venue said they could hear 'yelling and screaming'.
One bystander even thought 'a homeless person was in there attacking someone'.
At one point, two witnesses claimed they saw a chair fly out of the front door towards the customer.
A waitress was also allegedly seen exiting the restaurant in tears.
Inside, the mood quickly turned sombre.
'The music was playing but everyone was shocked and disturbed,' said one witness.
'It became incredibly awkward,' another added.
News.com.au has reached out to Kaprica for comment.
At the time of publication, Kaprica has not issued any official statement or apology regarding the incident.
Barbagallo is no stranger to the Melbourne restaurant scene.
He first made his mark in 1998 when he opened I Carusi in Brunswick East, which was later hailed as the birthplace of Melbourne's 'pizza revolution'.
He went on to open I Carusi II in St Kilda and, more recently, Kaprica in Carlton South.
Despite his influence, Barbagallo has faced personal and professional challenges.
In 2011, he experienced financial problems, which led to the closure of his venues on Lonsdale Street and his departure from the I Carusi brand.