The unexpected foodparing for Ron Matusalem: ‘How science can accurate good taste? – Hektor Monroy (Ron Matusalem) and Foodpairing®

Ron Matusalem believes that elegance is timeless, a legacy that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Madrid’s best mixologist

It’s always a good time for some great drinks. The time has come for Ron Matusalem and Hektor Monroy, Head of Consumer Experience of this iconic rum. Mr. Monroy is honored to have worked with Mauro Colagreco as Beverage Director for over 5 years. He is a very recognized mixologist in China and the Spanish Bartenders Association (ABE) named him the Best Mixologist of Madrid. Ron Matusalem was established 150 years ago in Cuba. It was the most desired rum during Cuba’s Golden Age and an indelible icon of that era.

Our guest started his presentation by saying that eating is a must, but eating well is an art. The cultivation of art should be accompanied by wonderful drinks. We couldn’t agree more! Ron Matusalem is famous for its collaboration with a laboratory in Belgium called FoodPairing, where the company looks at the product very seriously. This is very important not only for the taste of the drink. Hektor presented a short film about the beginnings of Ron Matusalem. The creators are inspired by places, music, people, shapes, and moments.

The art of the foodparing

During the lecture, Hektor explained the concept of “food pairing”. What is Foodpairing? It is selecting the ingredients based on their common features, mainly the aroma, which determines the perception of the taste of a given dish. Often these perfect combinations are a coincidence, but food pairing also confirms a scientific explanation of the phenomenon. The study of similarities is based on laboratory analyses of the products’ molecules. Using local products is very important for the company.

Real mixology is also important. They do not want to use ready-made recipes. During the talk, we had the opportunity to watch the work of bartenders from Angelita Madrid. They showed us what Foodpairing is all about, focusing on local Spanish tapas. They matched the perfect combinations with Spanish Jamon, cheese, and baguette with oil. Sounds complicated? Ron Matusalem doesn’t want to complicate life! The company wants to give us unique experiences!

Bartenders from Angelita emphasized during the presentation how many aromas are contained in their product. They also talked about the importance of not wasting products in their work. For them, it’s not only about protecting the planet – it’s also important for business. Why throw money down the drain, right? Another mission that Angelita bartenders shared with the audience is to reduce the amount of ice in its bars. Massive ice production has a bad impact on the environment. It’s good that we notice more and more of the little things that have a great impact.

At the end of the presentation, the entire audience was invited to a tasting session and to ask questions. Thank you!