It is not easy to deal with
almost three centuries of history and come out unscathed
(or almost).
Wars (from the Independence to the Civil War) and epidemics -Covid pandemic included- have not extinguished the flame of Botín, the oldest restaurant in the world, according to
Guinness World Records
, whose origins date
back to 1725
.
Today, its owners have had to fight with one of the worst - perhaps, the worst - crisis that has starred in the national hospitality industry. And the cape has been found, among other things, in
1725 Gourmet
, Botín-style experiences, an online store and now, in addition, physical, where
the mythical piglets and lambs
with the stamp of the mythical Madrid establishment with the that aim to
revolutionize
family
lunches and dinners
.
"The pandemic has been very tough. We have been on
the edge of the abyss
. After the reopening [on July 1, 2020], the work started very weak. We were at 10% of normal sales, we lost a lot of money every month and We did not know how long the situation was going to last, nor did our reservations ... That led us to look for
new lines of business
. Fortunately, we have resisted ", explains
Carlos González
, one of the owners of the historic restaurant and in charge of the new online line and the store.
Carlos González in the store.
Turning
the threat into an opportunity
, the online project took shape during the confinement - although the format had been around the owners for a long time - and just three months ago the physical space was opened, right in
front of the mother house
. "It is very good to sell remotely, but we believe that the customer gives confidence to see, live and direct, the products", adds González,
third generation
of the González Martín family, owner since the 20s of the last century of the dining room of Knives.
The Covid "forced us to reinvent ourselves, something that is not easy for a company that is about to turn 300 years old. I believe that in order to last, you have to know how to
adapt to changes
, because everything is evolving ... If you think about A closed system, you are lost; if you hold on to the fact that everything is invented, too. You have to
learn and improve
, yes, always with humility ", continues Carlos.
This adaptation to the new times implies a goodbye to
"our comfort zone"
, argues Carlos.
With the restaurant closed during confinement (the first time in its history that it closed);
the reduced capacity after the reopening and tourism (the bulk of its clientele comes from) rather than in low hours, they decided to
"be present"
.
"We wanted to transmit our identity signs outside our walls and take them to the diners' houses,
reproducing
our dishes
with extreme fidelity
".
Pre-cooked shoulder of lamb.
So faithful that "they even give off the
aroma of oak wood
characteristic of our roasts. It only takes
30 minutes in the domestic oven
and they are ready, juicy and with their very
crispy skin
, to eat them. They come out spectacularly good. They are the same as they are. They serve in Botín, with the
best raw material
, from Segovia and Ávila, endorsed by the Guarantee Mark and Protected Geographical Indication; artisan elaboration and great
respect for the traditional recipe
", González details.
The 1725 Gourmet suckling pigs and lambs - a nod to the opening date of the mother house - with which they want to revolutionize, especially Christmas meals, are
pre-cooked in modern ovens
in Jaén. "They are very versatile, with a technology capable of reproducing Botín flavors." There they are vacuum packed and return to Madrid.
But not only does the store live on roasts, there is also a pack of roasts, appetizers and
stews
.
"We have incorporated some spoon dishes, such as
wagyu tripe
and some
suckling pig beans
. We go slowly, we are not in a hurry. We
prioritize quality over quantity
and only put recipes on sale when we have achieved exceptional quality", comments this Law graduate who grew up in Botín, a business that his grandparents
Emilio and Amparo
began to run in the crazy 20s of the
20th century
and which is now run by
his brother Antonio
.
Wagyu tripe.
"First they rented it and then, with a lot of effort, they bought it. In Botín there have been two families, the first being related to
the cook Jean Botin
[in 1725, a nephew of his wife,
Cándido Remis
, opened a small inn in the Cuchilleros street] and ours. Now we are preparing the fourth generation. " It is clear that the intention is for
Botín to last
and continue serving many years. "It has always been a family business, parents, children, uncles ... working together a lot."
Amparo and Emilio's company had seven employees, including the couple and their three children; Today 74 families live from the
oldest
restaurant in
the world
and one of the 10 best classic dining rooms on the planet (
Forbes
dixit
). "Well,
almost half is in ERTE
, but we are optimistic and we hope to be full by the end of the year. The store is also a way of recovering our employees," explains Carlos, who one day was caught by the
poison
of the hostelry. "It is not easy, although we enjoy it a lot, and it is a responsibility to know that so many people
depend on us
."
And it is that the company distributes with the workers "
15% of the net sales
. It is something that we have always done in Botín.
My father's
principle was to
bring prosperity
to the families that work with us, and that generates a special bond ,
loyalty
and a more dedicated service. In addition, we go against the tide, because we encourage seniority. Here it is normal to enter as an
apprentice and after the years leave retired
".
The store is located in front of the mother house.
In this reinventing itself, this classic from Madrid de los Austrias
has opened a terrace
. "It works during the hours that the restaurant is closed and in it you can taste all the products of the store." And what about suckling pig from Botín, made in your old oak wood oven
over low heat
? "No, we only serve this one in the restaurant," says Carlos González.
Politicians, actors, filmmakers, ordinary people
have passed through the tables of Botín
... And writers and men of letters, with whom the house has had a special bond, from
Galdós
, who "mentions us in
Fortuna y Jacinta
,
Misericordia
y the
National Episodes
, even
Ernest Hemingway
, a regular at the dining room whom he quotes in
Fiesta
, passing through
Frederick Forsyth
, who reviews him in
The Black Manifesto
, and
María Dueñas
, in
The Time Between Seams
... ".
Botín restaurant facade.
Or the unrepeatable
Ramón Gómez de la Serna
, who wrote: "Botín seems to have always existed and that Adam and Eve have eaten the first cochifrito that was cooked in the world there." He failed to mention his wood-burning oven -
Moorish and medieval
, with the oak embers next to it - the one that has been burning since 1725 and that did not even turn off in confinement. "Every day a cook would go to
keep it on
, in addition to the
romanticism
of the burning flame, because this type of oven does not like
changes in temperature
. It is an oven with a goblin", concludes Carlos. And, for his age, he may also have ghosts.
Addresses.
1725 Gourmet:
Cuchilleros, 10. Tel .: 689 28 34 79. Closed on Sundays.
Online store:
www.1725gourmet.com.
Prices: pre-roasted suckling pig (34.90 euros, a quarter; 64.90 euros, medium and 107.20 euros, whole) and pre-roasted shoulder of lamb (19.20 euros).
Botín:
Cuchilleros, 17. Tel .: 91 366 42 17. Open every day, from 1 to 4 pm and from 8 to midnight.
The terrace works from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
and from 16 to 20 h.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
Madrid
Gastronomy Six Mexican restaurants to shout ¡Viva México!
MadridAbraham García: "Today's kitchen lacks good sense, although we are on the right track"
MadridBardero, the neighborhood restaurant that is 'messing up' in Arganzuela
See links of interest
The Palm
Last News
Work calendar
Home THE WORLD TODAY
Master Investigation Journalism
Series
Men's cycling World Cup, live
Juventus - Sampdoria
Bordeaux - Rennes
Mallorca - Osasuna
Formula 1: Russian Grand Prix, live