Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang worked as a dishwasher and waiter at a Portland, Oregon, restaurant before building his company into an AI giant. In an interview, he spoke about his experience.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleJensen Huang has been in the news for the past few days. For the uninitiated, Jensen admitted that he cheated on his wife, Lori, and apologized to her and their children. Amid the immense scrutiny, he had no choice but to resign from his post at Nvidia. He was the CEO and co-founder of Nvidia.
The company was founded by Jensen Huang and two of his friends, Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, in 1993. While today, Nvidia is considered one of the defining AI giants in the world, little do people know that before building the company, Jensen worked as a dishwasher and waiter at a restraurant.
The former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang spent his teenage years working at a restaurant, washing dishes and serving customers. According to reports, when Jensen was 15 years old, he took up a job at Denny's in Portland, Oregon. As a teenager, Jensen took on responsibilities that included washing dishes, clearing tables, and waiting on customers.
In September 2023, during an event organized by Denny's, the former Nvidia CEO spoke about his early days as a restaurant worker. The location had a special connection to Nvidia because it was where Huang and his friends, Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, discussed their business idea in 1993. The trio wanted to develop a chip that could produce realistic 3D graphics on personal computers.
That meeting eventually led to the founding of Nvidia. Recalling his experience as a restaurant worker, Jensen said that he used to wash dishes. He also joked about his ability to carry coffee cups. The former Nvidia boss credited restaurant jobs with teaching people valuable lessons about work and dealing with others. He also encouraged youngsters to consider starting their careers in the restaurant industry during the event. Jensen said:
"I was a dishwasher, I was a busboy, I waited tables. No one can carry more coffee cups than I can."
Years later, in a 2025 interview with TIME, Jensen spoke about the things he valued most in life. He mentioned that he had a simple life and just loved it. Rather than talking only about his professional achievements and wealth, the former Nvidia CEO mentioned his family, including his wife, Lori Huang, and their children. He said:
"I have a simple life, and I love that. I can't imagine a more perfect life."
Jensen Huang and Alice Huang’s illicit affair came to light publicly on October 29, 2026, when The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence officials had concluded Alice was a Chinese intelligence asset who developed a close relationship with him. While initial reports stated that Jensen and Alice met sometime around 2024, it was later revealed that the duo met a decade before their illicit affair and were introduced by Alice’s husband, Kang Weigh.
In fact, a few media outlets claimed that Kang seemingly boasted about his wife’s affair with businessman Jensen Huang to his clients. The former Nvidia CEO came under public scrutiny in late October 2026. Later, on November 8, 2026, Jensen came out to publicly apologize to his wife of 40 years, Lori, and their children.
The former Nvidia CEO mentioned that there is no excuse for what he did and that his actions hurt his wife, Lori, and their children. He admitted that throughout his life, his family supported him and has given him love. He also added that they deserved his loyalty.
The affair controversy involving Jensen and Alice escalated after reports also linked the former Nvidia CEO to Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare. On November 12, 2026, the company announced that Jensen Huang had resigned as CEO, president, and a member of its board, with immediate effect.
What are your thoughts on Jensen Huang's early days as a restaurant worker? Let us know.
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