Jensen Huang commemorative plaque gone from the Denny's where he founded Nvidia

A commemorative plaque has disappeared from a San Jose Denny’s booth associated with Nvidia’s founding. Installed during a 2023 ceremony, it marked the spot where Jensen Huang and co-founders Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem discussed starting a company in 1993. The inscription called it “the booth that launched a $1 trillion company.” Huang recalled choosing the restaurant because it offered unlimited coffee and allowed them to stay without being hurried along. The diner is about eight miles from Nvidia’s headquarters. Employees confirmed the plaque was gone, but the restaurant did not explain who removed it or why; only a bare, chipped section of wall remained.

Its removal came one day after Huang resigned as Nvidia CEO amid reports of multiple affairs. He acknowledged an affair with Alice Huang, who has been described as an alleged Chinese spy; separate reports alleged relationships with Nvidia healthcare executive Kimberly Powell and another employee. The account links the timing of the plaque’s disappearance to the turmoil surrounding Huang’s departure but does not establish a connection. Nvidia CFO Colette Kress is serving as interim CEO while the company considers internal and external candidates for a permanent successor. Huang’s exit also prompted people to leave flowers, potato chips and a candle outside Nvidia’s headquarters, with the chips serving as a reference to the company’s semiconductor business.