The addition of pineapple to the traditional mix of tomato sauce and cheese, sometimes with ham or sometimes with bacon, soon became popular loc… And I stand behind this delicious Southwestern Ontario creation. Back then, Panopoulos would drive to Detroit for a taste of the cheese-topped pie.“[Then] we bought a little oven and learned how to make pizza,” he says. He added that he would ban pineapple as a pizza topping if he could, as long as he received 30% of the under 21 vote. The Canadian man behind the invention of the Hawaiian pizza has passed away at the age of 83. Sam Panopoulos claimed that he created the first Hawaiian pizza at the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ontario, Canada in 1962. The pineapple-laden pie is the brainchild of retired cook, Sam Panopoulos, who first served pineapple on pizza at Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ont. Devon Scoble is a Toronto writer and food lover who specializes in approachable home cooking. Hawaiian pizza, also known as pineapple pizza, is a pizza topped with pineapple, ham, tomato sauce and cheese. For a long time, we were the only ones serving it.”. Sam immigrated to Canada when he was 20 years old, and opened a restaurant with his brothers, selling some traditional American fast food, such as burgers and French fries. Just like today, you could have a choice,” he says. Panopoulos told BBC that the pizza had begun as an experiment, but that he and his brothers enjoyed the contrast between the pineapple’s sweetness and the savory flavor of the ham. Bored … In the early 60s, says Panopoulos, pizza was considered ethnic food, an Italian-American curiosity that adventurous Canadians would try when they crossed the border. Pineapple on pizza originated in the small town of Chatham, Ontario, Canada, far from the beaches of Hawaii that have become the namesake for the dish. Despite its tropical name, Hawaiian pizza is actually a Canadian creation. Save Sam Panopoulos, the creator of the Hawaiian pizza, dies at 83 Mail Online Sam Panopoulos, the inventor of one of the most intense food debates in modern history ― pineapple pizza ― has died at age 83. “Today you can go to a Chinese place and have a chicken salad, Thai place they give you something else. Hawaiian pizza? Despite the name and tropical ingredients, Hawaiian pizza did not originate in Hawaii -- it was actually invented by a Greek immigrant who owned a casual restaurant in Ontario, Canada. “It’s not our story to tell,” his son said. [6] In regards to the naming of the dish, Panopoulos chose Hawaiian after the brand of canned pineapple they used. [11][12], In 2017, Icelandic president Guðni Th. TIL Hawaiian pizza was invented in Canada by a Greek immigrant, who was inspired by Chinese food to put a South American ingredient on an Italian dish, that went on to be most popular in Australia. Hawaiian pizza is from Canada (!!) Sam Panopoulos is credited with first putting pineapple on a pizza at the Satellite Restaurant in … But it’s this spirit, exemplified by Sam Panopoulos and other culinary innovators, that has expanded Canadian cuisine beyond maple syrup and bacon, to represent the cultural diversity that makes this country — and its cuisine — great. Who would have guessed? “You could have only pineapple, you could have bacon and pineapple, you could have mushrooms and pineapple, anything. I have a pizza. 75.8k. [4][19] Guðni later clarified that he did not have the power to ban particular toppings on pizza and would not like to live in a country where the leader could ban anything he or she did not like. Mr Sam Panopoulos aka the GOAT deserves the praise for inventing this fun pizza topping. Hawaiian Pizza Origins Fun fact, Hawaiian Pizza did not originate from Hawaii. “People only put on mushroom, bacon and pepperoni, that’s all,” says Panopoulos. Sotirios (Sam) Panopoulos died “suddenly” on Thursday, June 8, at University Hospital in London, Ontario according to an online obituary. Hawaiian Pizza achieved its own popularity among pizza lovers, reaching not just the United States but other countries as well. [23], According to a 2019 YouGov Omnibus survey, 12% of Americans who eat pizza say that pineapple is one of their top three favorite pizza toppings, and 24% say that pineapple is one of their least favorite toppings. The name Hawaiian actually came from the brand of canned pineapples that he used in the first recipe. Hawaiian Pizza was Invented in Canada by a Greek Restaurant Owner Feb 1, 2019 Nikola Budanovic Since 2009, a culinary debate regarding putting pineapple on pizza has haunted the internet and continues to divide pizza lovers all over the world. But in those days there was no way you could mix flavours,” says Panopoulos. These additions were not initially very popular. As far as iconic Canadian dishe s go, Hawaiian Pizza is a new one. [21], A 2015 review of independent UK takeaways operating through Just Eat found the Hawaiian pizza to be the most commonly available. Ingredients for Hawaiian Pizza. To the dismay of may, Hawaiian Pizza, a Canadian invention, jumped by 689% in the last 9 months. Over the years, the Satellite Restaurant introduced a variety of novel flavours to Chatham residents, like Chinese food prepared by a Chinese cook, and dishes from Panopoulos’ native Greece. Inspired in part by his experience preparing Chinese disheswhich commonly mix sweet and savoury flavours, Panopoulos experimented with adding pineapple, ham, bacon and other toppings. In 1962 by Sam Panopoulos, a native of Greece who was running a pizzeria in Ontario Canada. According to legend, Sam Panopoulos, a Greek immigrant who moved to Canada in 1954, created the first Hawaiian pizza just over the Michigan border in Chatham, Ontario. Be the first to know about brand-new shows, the freshest recipes and exciting contests. Sam Panopoulos was a pizza maker for over 50 years. These additions were not initially very popular. And I stand behind this delicious Southwestern Ontario creation. "[17][18] Panopoulos, at that point retired from the restaurant business, was called upon by some media outlets to defend his creation. A pizza invented in Canada has been deemed the most popular pizza in the U.S, based off the annual Grubhub end of year report. Jóhannesson reportedly told a group of high school students during a Q&A that he was fundamentally opposed to the idea of putting pineapple on pizza. And he looks a lot like Alexander Ovechkin", "Capitals' Ovechkin delivers pizza, says his favorite kind is Hawaiian", "Is Pineapple Acceptable on Pizza? A Greek-born Canadian named Sam Panopoulos created it for his restaurant back in 1962 as a result of his experiences with the sweet and savory flavors of Chinese food. The addition of pineapple to the traditional mix of tomato sauce and cheese, sometimes with ham or sometimes with bacon, soon became popular locally and eventually became a staple offering of pizzerias around the world. Despite its name, Hawaiian pizza was not invented in Hawaii. And we started serving it that way. Justin Bieber, Paris Hilton and More Celebs Weigh In", "I have a pineapple. What’s Hawaii Got To Do With This? June 11, 2017 12:58 PM EDT T he man who invented Hawaiian pizza, setting off one of the biggest debates in food, died on Thursday at the age of … Canadians invented Hawaiian pizza around this time. In 1962, the "Hawaiian" pizza, a pizza topped with pineapple and ham, was invented in Canada by restaurateur Sam Panopoulis at the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ontario. It was invented in 1962 by a Greek guy who owned a pizzeria in Ontario, Canada. Sam Panopoulos claimed that he created the first Hawaiian pizza at the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ontario, Canada in 1962. [8][9][10], In 2014, Time listed Hawaiian pizza first on its list of "The 13 Most Influential Pizzas of All Time". The dish tends to spark debate about whether the … Believe it or not, Canada is the country pineapple on pizza was born. Hawaiian Pizza Origins. Celebrities shared their preferences on the matter,[13][14][15][16] including Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who expressed support for Hawaiian pizza by tweeting: “I have a pineapple. [28] In December 2009, the pizza napoletana was granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the European Union . Sam Panopoulos invented the Hawaiian pizza in 1962 By Michael Harthorne , Newser Staff Posted Jun 10, 2017 10:59 AM CDT Sam Panopoulous claims that he invented the first Hawaiian pizza at the Satellite Restaurant, in Chatham, Ontario. See what shows are casting today. The only problem is that Sam’s claim comes about 10 years after the photographs from the Quigley family, but it isn’t known if he or the Quigley’s were the first to combine ham and pineapple onto a pizza.Author: Marc Zorn He claims to have invented the first Hawaiian pizza and there is no doubt that this pizza was a hit. So how did Canadians end up with this odd combination in our culinary history? A report from food delivery app GrubHub has crowned the Hawaiian pizza as "America's Favorite Pizza" after finding the pie was 689 per cent more popular than last year. Posted by 1 year ago. It was a cuisine experiment. Think you have what it takes? Archived. © Corus Entertainment Inc., 2020. [22], A 2016 Harris Poll survey of US adults had pineapple in the top three least favorite pizza toppings, ahead of anchovies and mushrooms. The father of Hawaiian pizza, Sam Panopoulos, is neither a Hawaiian nor an Italian, but he is a Greek. It turns out a Canadian-invented pizza has been deemed the most popular pizza in the U.S. for 2020. Panopoulos enjoyed a certain amount of media attention over the last few years, but the pizza claim overshadows what may actually be Panopoulos’ most enduring legacy: a passion for introducing diverse flavours to Canadian diners. Panopoulos passed away in 2017 at age 82. Sam Panopoulos, inventor of Hawaiian pizza, dies aged 83. [1][2][3][4][5] Hawaiian pizza combines tomato sauce, cheese, cooked ham and the controversial topping of pineapple. It was not the most disliked topping however, as ingredients were even more widely unpopular in the survey: anchovies and eggplant. Sam Panopoulos, the Greece-born Canadian who is credited with inventing the Hawaiian pizza in Chatham, Ont., is seen in this photo provided to CBC News by … Grubhub's "Taste of 2020" report has crowned Hawaiian Pizza as "America's Favorite Pizza," after the report showed an increase making the pizza 689% more popular than last year. “I had pineapple in the restaurant and I put some on, and I shared with some customers and they liked it. We’re not talking about generations of grandmas whipping up ham-and-pineapple pies: it was invented in a diner in Chatham, Ontario in 1962. By the mid 60s, Satellite Restaurant (now under different ownership) had been serving pizza for a few years, although Panopoulos, now 82,  says the dish was still a novelty for Canadians, who at the time topped their pies conservatively. [24], Pizza variety usually topped with pineapple and ham, List of pizza chains of the United States, "Meet the 81-Year-Old Greek-Canadian Inventor of the Hawaiian Pizza", Canadian inventor of Hawaiian pizza defends pineapple after Iceland's president disses fruit topping, Canadian inventor of the Hawaiian defends pineapple after Iceland president sneers at fruit on pizza, "The Man Who Invented Hawaiian Pizza Has Died", "Herrn Paulsens Deutschstunde: Toast Hawaii", "The 13 Most Influential Pizzas of All Time", "Pineapple on pizza is easy to hate — at least in theory", "The pizza guy's at the door. Variations may include bacon in place of or in addition to the ham, but Panopoulos says that his major contribution was simply adding the pineapple. He claims to have invented the first Hawaiian pizza and there is no doubt that this pizza was a hit. The pineapple -laden pie is the brainchild of retired cook, Sam Panopoulos, who first served pineapple on pizza at Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ont. Corus Lifestyle. The dish tends to spark debate regarding the inclusion of pineapple on a pizza. The Hawaiian pizza, topped with ham and pineapple, recently became a contentious issue on social media, but the dish has been around since he invented it … Inspired in part by his experience preparing Chinese dishes which commonly mix sweet and savoury flavours, Panopoulos experimented with adding pineapple, ham, bacon and other toppings. He can remember inventing what’s now one of the most popular pizzas in the world: the Hawaiian pizza. Eventually even Hawaiian cooks added pineapple to dishes like Spam-fried rice, partly to placate expectant tourists, and partly for the delicious freshness pineapple adds to starch-heavy, pork-heavy, fried Hawaiian comfort food. Australia even named it as the most popular pizza, a report by West Australian tells us. The Hawaiian pizza was invented in Canada. ", "Pepperoni Tops Americans' List of Favorite Pizza Toppings", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hawaiian_pizza&oldid=995583536, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 December 2020, at 21:08. Hawaiian pizza actually originated in Ontario, Canada in the 1960s, when Satellite Restaurant owner and Greek immigrant Sam Panopoulos returned from Detroit … According to Time, the Hawaiian pizza was invented in 1962 by a man named Sam Panopoulos, a native of Greece who ran a pizza place in Canada. He liked how Chinese dishes mixed sweet and savory flavors, and thought to try the same on a pizza… All rights reserved. I have a pizza. 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