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Stranger Things made Gaten Matarazzo a star. He auditioned to play Mike instead of Dustin on the hit Netflix series, but he owns his part and has become a fan favorite on the show. We’re not sure if Matarazzo’s love for pineapple pizza will affect fans’ opinions of him, but professional chefs stand by his favorite topping.

Gaten Matarazzo in 'Stranger Things' Season 4. Matarazzo loves pineapple pizza, and some chefs say his sweet-savory combo is a good choice.
Gaten Matarazzo in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 | Netflix

Gaten Matarazzo declares his love for pineapple pizza: “I want people to try it”

Matarazzo has some thoughts on pizza toppings. And if you ever wondered if he’s a vegetarian, his favorite toppings confirm he is not.  

If he’s ordering from a run-of-the-mill chain, he’ll load up on toppings to cover up the lack of quality. When he chooses a pie with better ingredients, Matarazzo dials down how many toppings he picks, as he told Yahoo.

His grandfather wouldn’t approve, but Matarazzo’s favorite pizza toppings is pineapple. Specifically, a pineapple, bacon, and pepperoni topping trio.

“My grandfather [would say] I’m not allowed to put pineapple on pizza, but my favorite is pineapple, pepperoni, and bacon,” he told Yahoo. “Here’s the thing: I understand the hate. It’s a reasonable hate, but I want people to try it and not think about the fact that it’s pizza. Just put pineapple and bacon together with pepperoni — all three of them on a pie — and it’s pretty great.”

His family appears divided about whether a tropical fruit belongs on a pie, but chefs defend Matarazzo’s love of pineapple pizza.

Chefs stand by Matarazzo’s favorite pizza topping

Pineapple on pizza might not be for everyone, but Matarazzo’s affinity for pineapple, bacon, and pepperoni pies has some defenders. The sweetness and acidity of pineapple combined with the saltiness of cured meats make for a complex taste mix that meat alone doesn’t provide. 

The key is treating the pineapple properly. Kurt Evans, chef at Down North pizza shop, ignores canned pineapples. He won’t even use fresh, raw fruit, which dries up in the high heat of a pizza oven, as he told Food & Wine. He cooks raw pineapple with sugar in a pan of bacon grease before it goes on a pizza. 

Emily Hyland, founder of Pizza Loves Emily restaurants, stands by Matarazzo’s pizza choice. Her go-to for a sweet-salty balance? Pineapple kimchi with pepperoni, as Men’s Health reported, similar to Matarazzo’s favorite pizza toppings.

Matarazzo is all about following the rules on the Stranger Things set. But as Hyland told Men’s Health and as Alton Brown once tweeted, there are no rules about pizza. Matarazzo likes sweet pineapple and salty meats on his pizza, and professional chefs stand by his choice.

Will Matarazzo have more pizza-eating free time after Stranger Things Season 4? Fans won’t have to wait long to see if Dustin survives for Season 5.

When will Season 4, Volume 2 stream on Netflix, and who will survive for ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5?

Those are two big questions about Stranger Things Season 4, Vol. 2, but just one has a decisive answer.

Vol. 2 follows Netflix tradition and starts streaming at midnight Pacific on July 1, 2022. The second part of Season 4 contains just two episodes, but both are movie-length, per Cosmopolitan. Episode 8 is nearly 1 hour, 30 minutes, while the season finale clocks in at 2 hours, 30 minutes.

As for who dies in Stranger Things Season 4? It’s all just speculation, but eagle-eyed fans have some theories.

A seemingly innocent behind-the-scenes look at the Stranger Things set fueled speculation that Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) leaked Vecna’s next victim.

Noah Schnapp teased deaths (plural) in the second part of Season 4. Mason Dye (Jason Carver) just joined the cast for Season 4, but he got a sneak peek at Episode 8 and said “insane” is the only way to describe the final two episodes.

The second part of Stranger Things Season 4 drops soon. Order your favorite pizza — a Matarazzo pineapple special or otherwise — and dig in as you watch to see if Dustin and his friends survive for Season 5. 

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