Inside out: Christopher Lee
Lee is a self-confessed failure in the kitchen - 'The limit of my culinary skills is boiling an egg' - but is lucky to be married to a 'superb cook, as good as any chef in London'. Together they have been travelling to Denmark for 55 years, where he adores traditional foods such as raw herring, marinated with curry, vinaigrette or sour cream. He's partial to all seafood, anything from smoked eel to rock oysters, but his main indulgence is a bottle of vintage champagne - favourites are Taittinger or Krug.
Despite being a ferocious eater as a child, 'I used to eat and eat and eat, and remained as thin as a rail,' his tastes have now changed and even the thought of a tiramisu after supper makes him feel bloated. He remains trim by walking in the swimming pool and eating moderately.
Who would join you for a sofa supper?
I've never had a meal on the sofa in my life. I'd like to dine with my wife and daughter and also my dear friend the American sportscaster Vin Scully.
What would you eat?
Gravadlax to start. You can't go wrong with Norwegian salmon, followed by pheasant, if in season, or lamb with Brussels sprouts and runner beans with olive oil dressing.
What's for pudding?
Either baked Alaska or a big bowl of fruit salad.
And to drink?
Aquavit or a Danish beer.
What's on the television?
The best picture I've ever seen in my life, The Night of the Hunter, starring Robert Mitchum.
What are your five favourite restaurants around the world?
The Connaught, before its reconstruction. Angela Hartnett was the chef and an excellent one, too. The Peninsula, Hong Kong. I used to love a good Chinese meal. La Table de Joël Robuchon, Paris. One of the best meals I've ever had. The Hotel Königshof in Munich. The Restaurante Akelare in San Sebastian, where the pastry was like spun glass.
