The Ham Museum and its iconic sandwich are renewed with views of the Gran Vía

Francisco Muñoz Heras never liked photos.

"There were only two that did excite him: one that was made with Cantinflas and another with Marujita Díaz," says his son Luis Alfonso Muñoz, today co-CEO of the emblematic Museo del Jamón, a family business that his father and uncle raised.

The shop windows full of flashy promotions, with the mountains of Serrano ham sandwiches and the bars always bursting at the seams,

of all the events that have taken place in the capital.

"My father wanted to democratize the consumption of ham, which at the beginning of this business was still available only to a few."

The photos that Muñoz Heras liked so much were taken at the premises of Gran Vía, 72, which a few days ago reopened its doors renovated in form and updated in substance.

“During the pandemic, we had time to reflect on our business model and see where we wanted to go,” says Muñoz, the

– his three brothers are also on the board of directors – at the helm of the business.

The history of the Museo del Jamón begins when Muñoz Heras returns from the military and decides to

in the Villaverde neighborhood of Madrid.

"The first thing he did was put the delicatessen in a corner."

The reception of the public was unbeatable and after this he decided to "go out and sell".

It didn't take long to set up the first warehouse.

"The ham had a prohibitive price then."

The entrepreneurial spirit translated into the purchase of the first premises on the Paseo del Prado and the opening of the first themed ham restaurant.

"

. He was surrounded by the great museums of the city (the Prado, the Thyssen, the Reina Sofía...) and they played - his uncle was also involved in the subject - with that to name the project ".

Today they have -after having separated the family branches- seven stores in the capital (later came Calle Mayor, Carrera de San Jerónimo, Avda de Córdoba -where they have the central-...) and they all acquired them with their own resources.

OWN RESOURCES

"About every two years my father had the capacity to buy an establishment. We have never pulled outside financing nor have we planned large expansions."

The Gran Vía premises, with 700 square meters and capacity for 300 diners, have been the jewel in the group's crown.

"

. He fought for it until he got it."

That is why this reopening, which his father has not been able to see since he passed away last year, is so special for the family.

The Museo del Jamón, to give a bit of context,

, between what is consumed in establishments and charcuterie.

From his serrano sandwich, which used to cost 100 pesetas and today a euro and a half, only 3,000 a day come out at the premises on Calle Mayor.

They have never needed advertising or marketing.

"My father worked a lot. As children, my brothers and I saw little of him."

If they ate with him it was at the museum, if they shared time with him, it was at the pit.

"He always told us that the hospitality industry was very slave."

Over time, the image of the brand became closely linked only to tourists.

"We want to change this because it was not and is not our intention.

. Offer him what he needs and be his meeting point".

The bars of its premises as the axis of activity.

"This is our best social network," says Muñoz, who also has the title of Mr. Spain (2007) on his resume, while finalizing preparations at the Gran Vía venue. If the trend during and after the pandemic has gone through promote delivery, they are committed to "the good service of the waiters, we want to value the professional treatment of the client, that they receive you and see you off with a smile".

The human team is made up of more than 300 people today.

Manuel Valle, 52 years old, has been in the house for 28.

He usually works on Avenida de Córdoba, but has joined the Gran Vía team these days.

He entered as a butcher and was trained here.

Today he is the chief butcher of the group.

"

".

He boasts of the loyalty of his clientele: "In all our stores, people repeat over and over again. That must be for a reason," he argues.

Francisco José Muñoz, general director of the company, is in charge of weekly cutting the hams in Guijuelo, where they have a factory, and choosing "the best" for their establishments.

Luis Alfonso complains about the "unfair" bad reputation that Serrano ham often has.

"

. Here it is important to do a lot of pedagogy because there is a lot of cheating. You have to explain to people that there are Iberico hams de cebo and acorn-fed, that depending on the cut, it will have one flavor or another...».

Again they want to put the value in their butchers.

"I think there is no place that has as much variety of hams as we do, from Serrano to acorn-fed Iberico. The customer chooses the one they want to drink or to take away."

Another of the fronts that they have always had open is that of «

.

The volume of product that we move allows us to adjust prices.

What does not change is the quality.

BET ON THE MENU OF THE DAY

In the new stage, the promotions have disappeared.

"We want to attract another public" and that also implies updating the offer when sitting down at the table.

Its menu of the day is maintained "because of the responsibility we have with the client from day to day."

.

"The executive chef has been with us for 20 years and knows the customer very well."

A la carte restaurants have also wanted to give it a spin.

"The croquette used to come out by weight. Now we make less quantity but more times."

They put more care.

These are details that the stoppage caused by the pandemic allowed them to analyze.

"

".

In this new stage, the average ticket has risen to 15 euros.

The foreign public is, however, essential for the business.

"

."

Some agencies of the Asian country include a stop at the Ham Museum in the tours of the capital.

"The Japanese, just like the Americans, like to take the product in a vacuum. The English don't mind taking the leg," says Luis Alfonso.

When Francisco Muñoz set up his business in the 1970s, many called him almost crazy.

When someone said that he had hit a "pitch," he would give a half smile but say nothing.

"When he decided to be a bartender, his house didn't like the decision."

So he was not so well seen.

"

."

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