Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- allegedly / əˈlɛdʒ ɪd li / (adv.) – in a way that indicates something is believed to be true by some people, but it is not confirmed
Example:He allegedly stole the money, but nothing has been proven.
- prized / praɪzd / (adj.) – valuable or very important
Example:The jewelry was her most prized possession because it had been given to her by her grandmother.
- controversy / ˈkɒn trəˌvɜr si / (n.) – a situation in which many people strongly disagree about something
Example:The celebrity’s opinion on privacy laws started a big controversy online.
- chronicler / ˈkrɑː nɪ klər / (n.) – a person who writes or tells about historical events or important stories from the past
Example:He wants to be a chronicler, recording the lives and achievements of important people around the world.
- correspond / ˌkɔr əˈspɒnd / (v.) – to match, be similar to, or have a connection with something
Example:The facts in the report correspond to what the people involved said happened.
Article
Read the text below.
Dozens of tourists gather outside a wood-paneled restaurant in Madrid’s oldest neighborhood. They’re here for more than just the food.
Botín claims to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world. The Guinness World Records says Botín has been in business for 300 years. Founded in 1725, it’s become a global tourist destination.
“We’ve heard it’s very good, and also it’s allegedly the oldest restaurant in the world, which has been verified by Guinness. So that’s why I’m here,” says British tourist Thomas Donegan.
Botín was first opened by a French chef, Jean Botín, and later run by his nephew. Back then, customers brought their own ingredients. The kitchen cooked them. Selling food directly was banned under local laws.
By the 19th century, it had become a full restaurant—still in the same spot, on Cuchilleros Street, just steps from Madrid’s Plaza Mayor.
“It’s the oldest in the world because Guinness World Records says so, based on four conditions. The first, it has been operating continuously. The second, in the same location. The third, with the same name. And the fourth, with the same activity,” explains restaurant owner José Gonzalez.
One of Botín’s most prized features is its wood-fired oven. It’s made of graphite and fireproof brick, and it has never gone cold. Even during COVID lockdowns, staff kept the fire alive. Letting it cool, they fear, could cause the oven to crack.
The prized oven cooks the restaurant’s signature dish—roast suckling pig. It’s seasoned with garlic, onion, parsley, laurel, paprika and white wine.
Over the years, Botín has welcomed celebrities and world leaders—names like Woody Allen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and even Ernest Hemingway, who wrote about it in two novels.
But not everyone is completely sold on the restaurant’s history.
“There is some controversy,” explains Pedro Montoliú, a historian and chronicler of Madrid.
“The existing documentation corresponds to the second half of the 19th century, and there is no documented proof of the relationship between that restaurant from the mid to late 19th century and the one from 1725,” he adds.
Still, Guinness says the history holds up.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Botín says it has been serving food since 1725 and is known as the oldest restaurant in the world. Does a restaurant’s history make the food experience more special for you? Why or why not? Would you rather eat at a place that’s old and famous, or somewhere new and trendy? Why? Discuss.
- Are you willing to travel a long distance to dine at a famous historical restaurant? What might motivate you to make such a trip? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Pedro Montoliú, a historian, questions whether Botín has truly been open since 1725. If Botín is suddenly no longer recognized as the oldest restaurant, how do you think this would affect the restaurant? Would you feel disappointed if a place you visited wasn’t as old as it claimed to be? Why or why not? Discuss.
- Do you think it matters if a famous place has clear, written proof of its past? Why or why not? Discuss.
