The creator of pineapple pizza has passed away, and RIP

You might want to call Domino’s to celebrate the life of this important figure. Sam Panopoulos, otherwise known as the first man to put pineapple on a pizza slice, has passed away at age 83. For some, he’s a hero. (But of course, the debate on whether or not he created a masterpiece or a mistake will live on forever.)

No matter where you stand, it’s important to know that Panopoulos was a creative force. As someone who thought outside the pizza box, he lived as a successful restaurateur. Panopoulos got into the restaurant business with his siblings after emigrating from Greece to Canada in the 1950s. As for the pizza creation, it was invented due to sheer curiosity. We dig that.

Just earlier this year, Panopoulos told his story to the BBC. Based on the ongoing debate, it made sense that people would want to know more about how pineapple pizza became prevalent.

The magic happened at the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ontario.

"We just put it on, just for the fun of it, see how it was going to taste," Panopoulos explained. "We were young in the business and we were doing a lot of experiments."

The pizza pie got its “Hawaiian pizza” name based on the can of pineapples used. Cool, right? (Of course, a true Hawaiian also includes ham or sometimes bacon.)

Panopoulos’s obituary described him as having a “candid and frank sense of humor,” and noted how “his booming laugh and blunt honesty will be missed by his family, friends, former employees, and customers.” He sounds like an incredible person, and we wish his family nothing but peace and love.