Health inspectors temporarily shut down Tina Knowles’ Mama Tina’s Gumbo pop-up at the Houston Rodeo after a health complaint triggered a detailed investigation into food safety practices, including concerns about thawed seafood, improper storage, and missing temperature records.
The situation came to light after a complaint was filed on March 16, reporting that a customer who ate gumbo at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo later experienced symptoms including vomiting, chills, nausea, and fever. The complaint also stated the customer reported vomiting blood. That same day, investigators from the Houston Health Department responded to the Mama Tina’s Gumbo pop-up, which featured a recipe tied to Beyoncé’s mother.
According to records obtained by KPRC 2 News, inspectors began reviewing how the food was being prepared and stored. They found that the gumbo had been made off-site, cooled, and placed into non-food-grade orange buckets before being transported to a freezer at an unlicensed location. From there, it was moved to a refrigerated trailer at the rodeo, where it was allowed to thaw before being served.
During the inspection, officials noted that there were no temperature logs documenting how the food had been cooled or stored. They also observed frozen seafood labeled “keep frozen,” including shrimp and crab, raising further concerns about how ingredients were handled prior to serving.
Based on their findings, inspectors identified multiple violations, including the use of non-food-grade containers, storage in an unapproved and unpermitted facility, missing documentation for food temperatures and cooling times, lack of date marking for food prepared more than 24 hours in advance, and food that was not kept frozen as required. The report also noted that food no longer in a frozen state had to be discarded.
Following the inspection, officials worked with the operators to address the issues. They provided guidance on proper food handling practices, including cooling methods, thawing procedures, and date marking. The operators cooperated with inspectors and stated they would stop preparing food at the off-site location, pending approval of a new permit.
When inspectors returned on March 17 for a follow-up pre-opening inspection, they found that changes had been made. The refrigerated trailer had been replaced with a freezer trailer, and all stored food was properly frozen. The preparation process was also updated, with gumbo now being made on-site each morning before serving. Inspectors confirmed that there would be no mixing of previously cooked or stored food with freshly prepared batches.
After confirming these corrective actions, the Houston Health Department cleared Mama Tina’s Gumbo to reopen that same afternoon, allowing the pop-up to continue serving customers at the Houston Rodeo.
