The controversial innovation in pizza recipes has divided opinions among Italians, who scorned the pineapple filling

Tourists traveling to Italy are often cautioned about local gastronomic traditions. Italians typically don't drink cappuccino after 11 am and don't eat pizza with pineapple. At least, that was the norm until recently when the renowned Italian chef Gino Sorbillo added this controversial dish to his menu.

"A Margherita with pineapple costs 7 euros, and its introduction has stirred up quite a controversy in Italy," Sorbillo, a third-generation pizzaiolo, told CNN. He created it to "challenge food prejudices."

Reportedly, the recipe's creator quietly introduced the new dish to the menu without any announcements or social media posts. He spent several weeks observing whether guests would order pineapple pizza and concluded that even Neapolitans enjoy the combination of sweet fruit and pizza toppings.

The chef emphasized that global changes in pizza making began 5-6 years ago. It was during this time that new ingredients were introduced not only worldwide but also in Italy itself.

"Why not explore pineapple? Over the past five or six years, pizza has undergone a transformation. You have to try it first and then form your opinion. Previously, ham or arugula weren't even put on pizza, but now it's commonplace," explained Gino Sorbillo.

While his innovation outraged some aficionados of classic recipes, other patrons praised the pizzeria for the new addition to the menu and his dedication to challenging stereotypes.

If the trend is picked up by other Italian establishments, it will become easier for tourists to order their favorite Hawaiian pizza in the country, and there will be many times less oblique glances of condemnation.