Swankiest World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Tent Ever Means Crystal Chandeliers, Country Music Stars and a 50-foot Bar

The 500-plus guests that poured into the Cotton Holdings tent during the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at NRG Park were just as stunned by the swank Ralph Lauren-inspired decor as they were by the surprise entertainment, Grammy-nominated country western band Midland.

Sure, the barbecue cook-off teams competing during that first weekend of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo are known for creating special environments for their guests. But the “Cotton Q Club” was so over the top that those guests are still swooning.

Think crystal and antler chandeliers, tartan plaid flooring, leather and brass seating, thousands of red roses and a cascade of red roses falling from the 50-foot bar. It was a rich combo of western chic and equestrian esthetics, the latter played out in bars tufted in green velvet, polo helmets on display and two 7-foot tall white mosaic horses. The stage, where entertainment performed nightly during the cook-off, was built of emerald green ship lap and tufted green velvet.

As CEO of multi-faceted Cotton Holdings, Pete Bell wanted the firm’s first year as title sponsor of the barbecue competition to be a memorable one. This opening night party, hosted by Cotton and Quanta Services, was indeed one to remember.

Design and execution of the 9,000 square foot tent, paneled in cedar shakes, and the sophisticated decor were in the able hands of the Cotton team. Under its wide umbrella, the company provides property restoration and recovery, construction, roofing, consulting, temporary workforce housing and culinary services to public and private entities worldwide.

In fact, Cotton Culinary, led by executive chef Wade Schindler, not only provided party foods and a full barbecue dinner for the throng but also won three HLSR awards. Cotton’s chefs took the People’s Choice Grand Champion honors at Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites competition, second place in the Open Contest category at the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest and Best Façade at the cook-off.

All of that and the tent came down following the close of the contest on Sunday.

PC Seen: Quanta Services CEO Duke Austin, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo president and CEO Dr. Chris Boleman and wife Randi, HLSR chairman of World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, David Stone, hat designer Teressa Foglia, publisher and editor of Swoon Media Lara Bell, KTRK Channel 13 morning show host Deborah Duncan, co-host of KPRC Channel 2’s Houston Life Derrick Shore, publicist Lisa Gochman, Neiman Marcus’ Heather Almond, Whitney Kuhn Lawson and Marc Lawson, Cotton Holdings CFO Bryan Michalsky, Cotton Holdings Global Disaster Solutions president James Scaife, Cotton Logistics president Johnny Slaughter and Cotton Commercial USA executive vice president Russell White.