Ignacio Anaya

Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya García (15 August 1895 – 9 November 1975) was a Mexican maître d' and restaurateur, who is credited as the inventor of nachos. While nachos didn't become popular during his lifetime, Smithsonian Magazine ranked them as a sports stadium favorite in 1976, following the invention of a processed cheese sauce by Frank Liberto which was used to dip the chips in.

Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya is credited for creating the dish in 1943; the original nachos consisted of fried corn tortilla chips covered with melted cheese and sliced jalapeño peppers.

Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya García (15 August 1895 – 9 November 1975) was a Mexican maître d' and restaurateur, who is credited as the inventor of nachos.

Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya García (15 August 1895 – 9 November 1975) was a Mexican maître d' and restaurateur, who is credited as the inventor of nachos.

Born Ignacio Anaya Garcia in Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico on 15 August 1895, he worked at the Victory Club (later named El Moderno) restaurant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Born Ignacio Anaya Garcia in Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico on 15 August 1895, he worked at the Victory Club (later named El Moderno) restaurant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Born Ignacio Anaya Garcia in Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico on 15 August 1895, he worked at the Victory Club (later named El Moderno) restaurant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Born Ignacio Anaya Garcia in Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico on 15 August 1895, he worked at the Victory Club (later named El Moderno) restaurant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Born Ignacio Anaya Garcia in Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico on 15 August 1895, he worked at the Victory Club (later named El Moderno) restaurant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Born Ignacio Anaya Garcia in Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico on 15 August 1895, he worked at the Victory Club (later named El Moderno) restaurant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Born Ignacio Anaya Garcia in Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico on 15 August 1895, he worked at the Victory Club (later named El Moderno) restaurant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

According to the Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, the first time he created nachos it was a result of Anaya not being able to find the chef when a group of wives from the Eagle Pass Army Airfield Base across the border arrived at his restaurant in 1943: "Not wanting to turn away the patrons, he put on his chef’s hat. He looked around the kitchen and threw together what he had, which consisted of neat canapes of tortilla chips, cheese, and jalapeno peppers".

In 1960 Garcia had opened his own restaurant, called "El Nacho" in Eagle Pass, where he served T-bone steak, tampiqueñas, and enchiladas amongst other things.

In 1960 Garcia had opened his own restaurant, called "El Nacho" in Eagle Pass, where he served T-bone steak, tampiqueñas, and enchiladas amongst other things.

In 1960 Garcia had opened his own restaurant, called "El Nacho" in Eagle Pass, where he served T-bone steak, tampiqueñas, and enchiladas amongst other things.

While nachos didn't become popular during his lifetime, Smithsonian Magazine ranked them as a sports stadium favorite in 1976, following the invention of a processed cheese sauce by Frank Liberto which was used to dip the chips in.

Thereafter, nachos became popular worldwide, including after a 4 September 1978 NFL game where Howard Cosell popularized the term "nachos".

On 15 August 2019, Google honored him with a Doodle celebrating what would have been his 124th birthday.

*Nacho Anaya (c.

First created circa 1943 by Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, nachos are tortilla chips served with melted or shredded cheese, although often other toppings are added or substituted, such as meat, salsa (such as pico de gallo), refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, diced onions, olives, and pickled jalapeños.