“My family started doing barbecue in Crockett, Texas, at the turn of the 20th century, so I’m a fourth-generation pitmaster,” she said.
Rinaldi opened Texas Q in Kingwood in August 2021. The craft barbecue food trailer serves up centuries-old recipes of brisket, sausage, pork and chicken.
Despite her family lineage, Rinaldi said she is relatively new to the craft barbecue scene. She spent 32 years working in the commercial landscape construction industry prior to becoming a pitmaster.
“I started watching a show called ‘BBQ Pitmasters,’ and I was like, ‘I can do that,’” she said. “So I commissioned a large pit to be built.”
By 2014, Rinaldi was ready to the enter the Texas barbecue competition circuit.
“I don’t think there was more than three women out of 250 teams, and we placed 14th out of 250,” Rinaldi said. “I knew we were really onto something.”
Four years of competing later, Rinaldi was featured on the Food Network’s “Chopped” series.
In 2021, Rinaldi opened Texas Q on Northpark Drive in Kingwood. The eatery, which moved to West Lake Houston Parkway in June, has since gained a cult following of patrons who often dine in several times a week, Rinaldi said.
While patrons have often told Rinaldi her brisket is among the best they have tasted, she said the pork belly bites are a fan favorite.
“They’re succulent, incredible bites of barbecue. People absolutely flip out for them,” she said.
Rinaldi said all of the sides—which include a loaded baked potato salad, jalapeno truffle mac, corn pudding and candied baked beans—are made from scratch.
Reflecting on both of her careers in male-dominated industries, Rinaldi said she has never let anything stand in her way.
“You have to work harder. You have to be better,” she said. “The odds and the statistics are what they are, but you can change that.”
Texas Q
2720 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Kingwood
832-731-7075
www.texasq.com
Hours: Thu.-Sat. 11 a.m. until sold out, Sun. noon until sold out, closed Mon.-Wed.
