A plaque commemorating the Silicon Valley Denny’s booth where Nvidia’s founding idea was developed has been removed from the restaurant following revelations about CEO Jensen Huang’s alleged affairs.
The Denny’s on Berryessa Drive in San Jose once displayed a plaque bearing the message: “The booth that launched a $1 trillion company. Congrats Nvidia! Who knew that an idea started here would change the world?”
An employee confirmed to SF Gate that the plaque was removed Thursday evening but did not explain why.
The development follows reports about alleged extramarital relationships involving Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, including claims that he was romantically involved with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy.
Huang first worked at Denny’s at age 15 as a dishwasher and busboy. Years later, he and his co-founders reportedly returned to the restaurant, where they discussed the concept that would become Nvidia—now a central force in the artificial intelligence boom.
Colton Grace, a Denny’s spokesperson, told Our News Outlet that the plaque will be restored.
“We’re reinstalling the plaque recognizing the conversations at Denny’s that helped launch NVIDIA,” he said in a statement.
“Jensen Huang started at Denny’s as a dishwasher. Years later, he and his co-founders gathered in one of our booths to discuss the idea that became Nvidia. The plaque commemorates that shared history.”
Jensen Huang once worked at Denny’s as a busboy and dishwasher before helping develop the idea for Nvidia at a booth inside the San Jose restaurant.
The Berryessa Drive Denny’s displayed a plaque reading: “The booth that launched a $1 trillion company. Congrats Nvidia! Who knew that an idea started here would change the world?” It was removed Thursday but will be reinstalled, the chain said.
“America’s Diner has long been a place where people and ideas come together, and that history deserves to be preserved.”
People familiar with the situation said Huang spent the final hours before his resignation emotionally exhausted, focusing largely on the impact of the alleged infidelity on his wife and the women he was reportedly involved with.
Huang, 63, stepped down as Nvidia began an internal investigation into allegations involving a suspected Chinese spy, an Nvidia co-worker and another unidentified employee.
As negative headlines mounted around his departure, Huang reportedly used unusually dismissive phrases such as “whatever” and “I don’t care,” according to insiders who spoke to Bloomberg.
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“He claims not to care what happens to himself at this point. His main concern, he says, is his wife, and not ‘ruining the lives’ of the multiple women now romantically linked to him in the public imagination,” the outlet reported.
Huang has been married to Lori Huang for more than four decades.
On Sunday, he acknowledged having an affair, reportedly with Alice Huang, a former senior executive at Singapore-based data-center company Megaspeed. She is also suspected of being a Chinese spy.
The Nvidia board initially paid little attention to Huang’s ties to Alice Huang, but that changed after reports indicated the relationship was romantic.
Huang appeared with Denny’s CEO Kelli Valade beside the plaque in September 2023.
The plaque’s removal follows reports about Jensen Huang’s alleged extramarital relationships, including claims involving a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy. He is pictured with his wife.
Huang with Alice Huang, who has been accused of being a Chinese spy, in June 2024.
After Nvidia opened its internal investigation, Huang emailed employees to acknowledge the affair, apologize to his family and promise to “cooperate fully” with the inquiry.
That statement appeared to intensify the controversy, with additional reports alleging that Huang had relationships with female Nvidia executives.
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported on a second alleged affair, citing video that appeared to show Huang being affectionate with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare.
Huang resigned the following day, while the board announced that Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress would serve as interim CEO.
Hours later, reports of a third alleged affair emerged. Huang was accused of having an “intimate relationship” with another Nvidia employee whose identity has not been disclosed.
The scandals have erased $550 billion from Nvidia’s market value, while raising national security concerns and adding uncertainty to an already rapidly changing AI industry.
Our News Outlet has contacted Huang and Nvidia for comment.
