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Now, our nacho story begins in the town of Piedras Negras, Mexico – just four miles across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas – at the height of World War II. Sitting outside of Eagle Pass was historic Fort Duncan, a converted Air Base and wartime flight school. Those stationed at Fort Duncan often traveled the few miles into Mexico simply for a better bite to eat. And, in Piedras Negras, there was a favored restaurant, the enthusiastically-named Victory Club.This is where the details of this delicious legend vary slightly. There’s one telling that says it was a group of officers who came in on a very late night, exhausted, homesick and looking for good food. Another tale says that it was several female shoppers (possibly officers’ wives) who were ending their day with a “girls’ night out” dinner. Either way, what isn’t disputed is who they encountered at the Victory Club – Ignacio Anaya, who was more affectionately known as “Nacho” Anaya. Again, there’s a bit of discrepancy on who Anaya actually was, some say he was the maitre ‘d or a server, while others claim he was the chef. But whatever role Anaya played and whoever the guests were, it was late and they were hungry. So, Anaya sprung into action. Looking for the most common and easily prepared items in the kitchen, he found freshly fried strips of tortilla (fried in shortening and not oil), sprinkled a hefty portion of shredded cheese and spicy jalapenos. Then, he stuck it in the broiler. Within moments he delivered his creation to the table of Americans. Eagerly, they ate them up and asked Anaya what he called them. He shrugged, saying “Nacho’s Especiales,” or “Nacho’s Special.”

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Nachos didn’t become America’s favorite Mexican menu item overnight. Anaya got help spreading the nacho gossip. In 1959, a young woman named Carmen Rocha moved from San Antonio to Los Angeles with her husband. Since San Antonio is less than a three hour drive from Piedras Negras, she had grown up with nachos. When Rocha got a job serving at El Cholo Mexican Restaurant on Los Angeles’ Western Avenue, she told the chef’s about the easy, tasty snack she used to eat as a kid. Decades later, El Cholo had become a LA institution, thanks in large part to Rocha and her nachos (and margaritas). When she died in 2008, even El Cholo regular Jack Nicholson grieved, telling the LA Times, “Carmen was wonderful, to me and to everybody… It’s a community loss.”