About Sam Panopoulos
Lived 1934 – 2017 (aged 82). Sam Panopoulos was a Canadian restaurateur and cook.
Sotirios "Sam" Panopoulos (; 20 August 1934 8 June 2017) was a Greek-born Canadian cook and businessman, credited as the inventor of Hawaiian pizza. He emigrated to Canada in 1954, aged 20, arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1962, he had the idea to add canned pineapple to pizza. This innovation (sometimes disputed) became popular with his customers, yet over time has also earned the disdain of pizza puritans.
In February 2017, when Iceland's President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson said that pineapple should be banned from pizza, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: "I have a pineapple. I have a pizza. And I stand behind this delicious Southwestern Ontario creation."
He died unexpectedly at University Hospital in London, Ontario, on 8 June 2017.
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Important facts
People in Sam Panopoulos's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Sam Panopoulos?
Canadian cook (1934-2017)
When was Sam Panopoulos born?
Sam Panopoulos was born on 20 August 1934 in Vourvoura.
When did Sam Panopoulos die?
Sam Panopoulos died on 8 June 2017 in London.
What was Sam Panopoulos's occupation?
Sam Panopoulos was a restaurateur and cook.
What nationality was Sam Panopoulos?
Sam Panopoulos was Canadian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Sam Panopoulos. https://biography.guide/sam-panopoulos/
MLA: "Sam Panopoulos." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sam-panopoulos/.
Chicago: "Sam Panopoulos." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sam-panopoulos/.
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