Ninfa Laurenzo

Maria Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo (nicknamed Mama Ninfa, May 11, 1924 – June 17, 2001), born with the family name Rodriguez, was an American restaurateur from Houston, Texas, who founded the restaurant Ninfa's. Laurenzo started out running a single taco stand in Houston, Texas. was born on May 11, 1924, in Harlingen, Texas. While at the restaurant, Laurenzo greeted guests, watched over the kitchen operations, and sometimes sang songs in an alto voice.

In addition to Ninfa's, as part of RioStar Corp. Ninfa Laurenzo and her family established other restaurant ventures. Laurenzo had developed Diego's, a fast food takeout restaurant that specialized in soft tacos. The family sold Diego's to partners in 1978. In April 1987 Laurenzo started "Bambolino's Italian Drive-Thru," a restaurant offering pizza by the slice. She also established Joey Jack's Seafood, a seafood restaurant. In 1998 Serrano's Cafe, an Austin, Texas-based company, acquired RioStar as part of the bankruptcy protection settlement. The family was no longer involved in Ninfa's.

Many people referred to Ninfa Laurenzo as simply "Mama." Her daughter, Phyllis Laurenzo Mandola, said "t seems like everyone in the world would call her Mama" and that Ninfa Laurenzo did not mind if someone called her "Mama" unless the person was a man who was older than she was. Many people who knew Laurenzo considered her a mother figure, and Tony Mandola, Phyllis's husband, said "Everybody knew that they could come to her for advice." Later board positions included those of the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, the Houston Community College System Foundation, the Houston International Festival Foundation, the Houston Hispanic Forum, the Houston Metro Authority, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the University Cancer Foundation-M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She was a personal friend of President George H. W. Bush. In 1984, Bush, then Vice President, appointed her as one of the five goodwill ambassadors to welcome Pope John Paul II in Puerto Rico. Laurenzo's children said that this was the proudest moment in her life. In 2000 she underwent a mastectomy to treat her breast cancer. On the week of her death, members of Houston City Council postponed their meeting so they could attend Laurenzo's funeral.

Awards and honors In 1979 the Texas Restaurant Association gave her the "Woman Restaurateur of the Year" award. In 1988 Laurenzo was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. She also received the Humanitarian Award of the Arthritis Foundation, the "Women in Foodservice Pacesetter's Award" of the Roundtable for Women in Foodservice, and the "Business Recognition Award" of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Laurenzo, a grandmother of a student at The Regis School of the Sacred Heart, was honored at the annual "The Regis Merci" celebration on Wednesday April 13, 1994. The celebration honors individuals who were instrumental to the school's operations. Mayor of Houston Bob Lanier declared that day "Ninfa Laurenzo Day" and presented this proclamation to her at the celebration. The family later established the restaurant "Laurenzo's" on Washington Avenue. Domenic Laurenzo served as the lead chef.

Michael Cordúa, who established the Cordúa restaurant chain, credited Laurenzo as an inspiration as he had asked her for advice.