Ninfa Laurenzo

Maria Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo
Born(1924-05-11)May 11, 1924
Harlingen, Texas, US
DiedJune 17, 2001(2001-06-17) (aged 77)
Houston, Texas, US
NationalityAmerican
Alma materDurhan Business School
OccupationRestaurateur
Years active1949–2001
Known forFounding of Ninfa's restaurant
Political partyRepublican
Board member of
7
SpouseDomenic Laurenzo (1946–1969, his death)
Children4
Awards
7
  • Texas Restaurant Association "Woman Restaurateur of the Year" (1979)
  • Texas Women's Hall of Fame inductee (1988)
  • National Hispanic Chamber of Commerce "Business Woman of the Year" (1994)
  • Humanitarian Award of the Arthritis Foundation
  • Roundtable for Women in Foodservices' "Women in Foodservice Pacesetter's Award"
  • U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce "Business Recognition Award"
  • University Cancer Foundation-M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Websitetheninfalaurenzoscholarshipfund.org
Original Ninfa's on Navigation Boulevard

Maria Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo[1] (nicknamed Mama Ninfa,[2] May 11, 1924 – June 17, 2001), born with the family name Rodriguez,[3] was an American restaurateur from Houston, Texas, who founded the restaurant Ninfa's. Laurenzo started out running a single taco stand in Houston, Texas.[4]

  1. ^ Rice, Dale. "Ninfa's Tex-Mex legacy endures on Sixth Street." Austin American-Statesman. January 23, 2003. Retrieved on February 5, 2012.
  2. ^ "Home Archived 2011-11-25 at the Wayback Machine." Ninfa Laurenzo Early Childhood Center. Retrieved on February 4, 2012.
  3. ^ Linnee, Susan. "Poor Widow is Now Texas Taco Queen." Associated Press at the Youngstown Daily Vindicator. Wednesday April 26, 1978. Page 70. Retrieved on February 4, 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference NBC Learn 1981 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).