A Greek-Canadian man who says he was the first to put pineapple on pizza has died in London, Ontario.

Sam Panopoulos was 83.

Panopoulos was born in Greece and emigrated to Canada in 1954, where he and his two brothers operated a number of restaurants.

According to the man himself, the unconventional topping was discovered as a fluke. Panopoulous, who in 1962 was working at a restaurant in Chatham, Ontario, topped a pizza with chunks of canned pineapple, because he thought it would make a tasty topping.

Apparently he drew inspiration from traditional Chinese dishes that riff on a mix of sweet and sour flavours.

But some people on websites have suggested the dish was invented in Australia, while others still say it sprung from a German dish called “Toast Hawaii”—introduced by Germany’s first TV cook in 1955.

Despite a nebulous origin story, Hawaiian pizza became a staple of pizzerias worldwide. Though with the passage of time, the dish still conjures its fair share of criticism

And even with the passage of time, the pizza has provoked its fair share of criticism.

In February of 2017, the president of Iceland asserted his status on pineapple-as-pizza-topping during the Q&A of a high school visit.

He reportedly told students that if he was able to pass a law, he would ban pineapple on pizza.

Those people vehemently against Hawaiian pizza supported the president’s statement; however, social media erupted in a clash of opinions as people raced to defend it.

A fan even sent an order of Hawaiian pizza to the Icelandic Embassy in London with a message attached: “Long live the pineapple pizza.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also an admitted supporter of the tangy, tropical offering.

With files from the Canadian Press.