Why Tina Knowles' gumbo stand temporarily closed at Houston Rodeo
UPDDATE: A food safety investigation has revealed why Tina Knowles’ gumbo stand was shut down temporarily at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
According to health records obtained by KPRC 2 News, Mama Tina’s Gumbo was closed on March 16 and after a customer complaint reported symptoms including chills, nausea and fever as well as "vomiting blood" after eating the dish.
The investigation learned the gumbo had been prepared at an off-site location where it was cooled, placed into non-food grade orange buckets and reportedly taken to a freezer at an unlicensed location. The frozen gumbo then got taken to a refrigerated trailer at the rodeo to thaw before being served. The investigation also found thawed seafood labeled “keep frozen.”
Inspectors later cleared the stand to reopen the next day after all food was properly frozen and gumbo prep was moved on-site daily.
ORIGINAL STORY: Mama Tina's Gumbo at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was temporarily closed by the Houston Health Department, the department confirmed to USA TODAY.
The stand, owned by Tina Knowles, the mother of Beyonce and Solange Knowles, sells a version of the Southern cuisine staple and was closed for "clerical issues," according to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Dr. Theresa Tran, Director of the Houston Health Department, told USA TODAY in a statement that the department temporarily closed the stand on March 16 due to a "complaint investigation." Tran said the stand "was cooperative with the department’s recommendations" and passed an inspection.
Mama Tina's Gumbo was authorized to reopen on March 17, according to Tran. Service had resumed by March 18, according to Houston NBC affiliate KPRC.
The health department did not provide the reason for the stand's closure. USA TODAY reached out to Tina Knowles' representatives for comment.
What is Tina's Gumbo?
The pop-up, according to Tina Knowles, is an opportunity for Beyoncé fans to try the gumbo she "absolutely loves."
"Everybody's been wanting to try my gumbo," Knowles said when asked about her rendition of the staple Louisiana cuisine. "I've been making gumbo for 40-something years and people have been asking for it and asking for me to put it out And, I finally found a way to do it where it's affordable. I'm just really excited,"
The gumbo is available in two options: a $25 seafood version with beef sausage, chicken, shrimp, and blue crab; and a $23 chicken-and-sausage-only option.
The stand is scheduled to remain open until March 22, USA TODAY previously reported.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the largest stock exhibition and rodeo in the world, according to Scott Sosebee, a professor at Stephen F. Austin State University and executive director of the East Texas Historical Association. Over 2.7 million people attended the event in 2025.