Beyoncé's Mom Faces Health Department Shutdown of Gumbo Booth at Houston Rodeo

Tina Knowles, the mother of Beyoncé, had a brief setback this week after her popular gumbo booth was temporarily shut down at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

The closure happened on Monday, March 16, following a complaint investigation by the Houston Health Department. However, the issue was quickly resolved, and the stand reopened the next day.

According to the health department, Mama Tina's Gumbo booth was ordered to close as part of a routine response to a complaint.

Officials said the vendor cooperated fully during the process. After making the needed adjustments, the stand passed a follow-up inspection and was cleared to reopen on Tuesday, March 17. Service was fully back by Wednesday, TMZ reported.

In a statement, the Houston Health Department explained, "The vendor was cooperative with the department's recommendations and passed a subsequent inspection. It was authorized to reopen."

Tina Knowles' Gumbo Booth Reopens After Clerical Issue

According to Yahoo, while the exact reason for the complaint was not shared, rodeo organizers later described the issue as "clerical," suggesting it was related to paperwork or minor compliance concerns rather than food safety problems.

Event organizers also confirmed that Mama Tina's Gumbo worked closely with officials to fix the issue quickly.

The fast reopening helped calm worries among fans who had been eager to try the well-known dish.

The gumbo stand is a personal project for Tina Knowles. She recently introduced it as a way for fans to taste a family recipe that has been developed over decades.

The dish is especially meaningful because Beyoncé herself is said to love it. Knowles has shared that she has been cooking gumbo for over 40 years and wanted to make it more widely available in an affordable way.

In past interviews, Knowles described her menu, which includes chicken and sausage gumbo as well as a seafood version that takes up to 18 hours to prepare. The long cooking time is part of what gives the dish its rich flavor.

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Tina Knowles, Beyonce