How and when did you enter the restaurant business?
When my parents inherited the restaurant, it had already been in the family for an entire generation. I spent a good deal of my childhood there and knew I wanted to be part of the restaurant's future.

What is your philosophy when it comes to the restaurant business?
For us, the most important factor is pleasing the customer. If the public accepts the restaurant with its sincere, down-to-earth and comfortable nature and the finest food possible, that is enough for me.

What are the three most important aspects of running a restaurant?
Definitely hospitality, good service and excellent cuisine.

Has the restaurant changed much since you've taken over?
Today I manage Restaurante Botín with my two brothers, and I don't think we do things very differently. It's still entirely family run, and we are very traditional.

Is it true that Ernest Hemingway used to dine at Restaurante Botín?
Absolutely. In his travels to Spain, Hemingway often visited the restaurant and formed a firm friendship with my father, Emilio González, as well as my grandfather. He also mentions Restaurante Botín in several of his books.

What are some of the house specialties the restaurant is famous for?
Botín's speciality is Castilian cuisine, with a special emphasis on roast lamb and suckling pig. We roast them in an old wood-fired oven, which gives them amazing flavor. Other specialties include delicious hake, fresh sole and clams with the house's special sauce.