Named after the United States’ 50th state, you could argue that the Hawaiian pizza is an early prototype of a fusion dish: pizza with a tropical flair. As some foodies would say that putting pineapple on pizza is a practical joke, they are kind of right, as it was invented while two brothers were having fun.
The brothers emigrated to Canada from Greece in the ’50s experimented with different ingredients at their restaurant, and back then, nobody mixed sweets with savory. One of them thought of throwing in some ham and pineapple to see how it would taste. Surely they had no clue that this topping would divide people over the years, with some loving it while others hate the mere fact that other people put pineapple on pizza.
Potato Chips
While potato chips weren't exactly invented by accident, them becoming the enduring popular snack they are today definitely was. In New York, a hotel chef invented potato chips after a customer sent back his fried potatoes and complained about them being too thick and soggy. The chef, George Crum, offended by the comment, made ultra-thin slices out of potatoes and over-cooked them.
These chips were served out of spite, but the very particular customer was so delighted with the crispy potato slices that they were eager to spread the word about this delicious snack and the chef who made it. Without Crum's impatience and eagerness to fight back, your favorite savory snack may never have been invented at all.
Chimichangas
Chimichangas are fried burritos. Literally, and those deep-fried concoctions that deck many Mexican-American restaurants were also invented by a stroke of luck. The first chimichanga was created in Arizona at El Charro Café in 1922 by the original chef and owner, Monica Flin.
After she accidentally dropped a burrito into a deep fryer while it was frying tacos. She was about to swear in Spanish, but her nieces were around, so instead, she said the Spanish version of "thingamajig," giving her creation a name that's stuck.
Cheese
While one may never know the true origin of cheese, one story tells a tale of cheese dating back more than 4,000 years of an Arabian merchant making it by accident. As the shepherd set out on a lengthy journey across a desert, he had a supply of milk in a sheep's stomach pouch.
The blaring heat and the fermenting enzymes in the pouch cured the cheese and separated the whey. And the traveler enjoyed the cheese. Eventually, the art of cheesemaking was brought from Asia to Europe, and now we can go crazy making cheese platters for our guests.
Toasted Ravioli
If you've ever traveled to St. Louis, the chances are that you've eaten toasted ravioli. The famed St. Louis food is a staple in many restaurants in the area, but it has a bit of a contentious origin story.
What we do know about the beginnings of Toasted Ravioli is that they were invented by a German cook who was cooking up some pasta while he clumsily dropped some ravioli in the deep fryer. With a finishing touch of Parmesan, they were sent out to the bar in an effort to make due. The diners loved them and the rest, as they like to say, is history.