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

Few of those who strolled along Gran Vía on Thursday night could imagine what was hidden behind the walls of the Ham Museum. On the ground floor of this emblematic place the Jamón Sessions had just been released, a novel concept that combines bingo with ham.

The influencer Xuso Jones was in charge of acting as master of ceremonies of this first event, which will be repeated once a month in this establishment on Gran Vía Street.

"I remember when I came from Murcia to see the musicals in Madrid and then we went to the Ham Museum to have sandwiches. I think it's wonderful that a traditional restaurant is modernized in this way so that that brilli brilli of Madrid returns," said Xuso Jones.

The laughs are guaranteed with this singer and showman – who now triumphs with a book on cleaning tips – who, during the evening, dedicated himself to announcing the numbers and delivering the bingo prizes to the winners: three top quality hams. The first prize is an Iberian ham from Guijuelo; the second, a 100% purebred Duroc and the third, one from a white winery, which won the award for the best ham in 2020.

Each participant has a tablecloth on the table that is like a vile blackboard, where he can cross out with a marker the numbers that appear on the electronic screen, while tasting the food. The combo for two people includes ration of Iberian ham bait, four drinks and three bingos for 39 euros and to sign up for the next session on April 13 you have to book by email.

Democratizing ham

The Ham Museum is a family business built by Francisco Muñoz and his brother in 1978, which is famous for its shop windows and mountains of sandwiches. In its day, the objective of this place – which sells more than 32,000 hams a year and has seven spaces in the capital – was to democratize the consumption of this product, which was a luxury item at that time.

But, over the years, the image of the brand ended up being linked to tourists, who devoured its popular tapas. Therefore, now the new family generation seeks to connect with traditional customers and offer Madrilenians strong emotions and new experiences.

The Gran Vía venue now resurfaces like a phoenix after being closed for two and a half years due to the pandemic: "This Ham Museum was the scene of the Madrid movement, since it was born in the late 70s. Now we want to reinvent it and create the new Movida Jamonera in this emblematic place in Madrid, "said Luis Alfonso Muñoz, CEO of the group, in the presentation of the act.

The businessman took the opportunity to claim that the best social networks have always been bars: "We are creators of the first social networks that are those bars so petted by people, who ask for a beer over another person who was asking for a sangria ... How many things have happened in those bars!"

The bingo show will be repeated monthly during the spring and summer and the next appointments will be on April 13, May 11 and June 15. "This business was very conservative and now we want to revolutionize it. We have been brave and we have thrown ourselves into this madness because we want to continue writing the history of Madrid as we have done since 1978," concludes Muñoz.

If you want to book a table, contact: museodeljamon.marketing@gmail.com

Two attendees at the event.J. BARBANCHO

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