RIP Carmen Rocha, the Nachos Lady

OBITUARIES: The woman credited with introducing nachos to Los Angeles died on October 9. Carmen Rocha started working as a waitress at the original El Cholo on Western Avenue in 1959 and stayed on for almost 40 years. For those customers in the know (and who would ask), Rocha would make nachos from a recipe she learned in San Antonio, layering tortillas with cheese and slices of jalapeno and warming it in the oven. They finally added the dish to the menu, and now you can throw a tortilla chip in any direction and hit at least 20 places that serve some version. When she retired in the 90s, the El Cholo lounge was renamed "Carmen's Cantina." [LAT]For more stories from Eater LA, go to la.eater.com.

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