Hawaiian Pizza Created By A Greek In Canada Who Was Influenced By Chinese Food
One of the most popular and polarizing foods in the world had unusual origins
One of the most polarizing foods in the world is Hawaiian pizza. There are some who swear by putting ham and pineapple on their savory pies. However, there is another notable faction that believes in particular the sweet fruit has no place in this section of the food world. Much like the argument over its validity, the origins of Hawaiian pizza are equally as complicated, as the dish is not from Hawaii or Italy, but instead originated in Canada by way of a Greek immigrant who was influenced by Chinese food.
A recent study showed that a little more than half of Americans (57%) were in favor of pineapple on pizza. Meanwhile, a similar poll of Canadians in 2019 showed that even more — 73% gave a similar answer. Perhaps it’s more favorable up north because that’s the surprising place where it originated.
The Hawaiian pizza dates back to 1962, when it was pioneered by Greek immigrant Sam Panopoulos, who owned a diner called Satellite in the province of Ontario with his brothers. Initially, their menu was standard basic fare that’s to be expected in any diner, but that changed after an eye-opening trip.
