How to Feed a Dictator [Tribeca Festival Review]

by Mike McGranaghan

Andrew Neel’s How to Feed a Dictator, which world premiered in the Spotlight Documentary section of the 2026 Tribeca Festival, looks at evil through a more benign lens. Specifically, it introduces us to the personal chefs of five infamous dictators. These are the people who are unconnected to the atrocities committed by their employers yet still witness to private, unguarded moments.

The dictators in question are Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot, Augusto Pinochet, Idi Amin, and Kim Jong-Il. Journalists appear on camera to provide context regarding their reigns. Each chef is also interviewed, wherein they share reflections on how they got their jobs and what the dictators were like behind the scenes. Hearing these memories makes the notorious figures even more frightening because we’re reminded that they were very human, in spite of their monstrous deeds. Even the devil, it appears, succumbs to the pleasure of a finely cooked meal. In an inspired decision, Neel records each of the chefs cooking the favorite meal of their boss.

How to Feed a Dictator delves into the dichotomy of bad people having personal staff members. Across the board, the chefs recall being treated nicely. They earned good wages, saw their families cared for, and were shown appreciation for their efforts. So what do they make of the harsh realities outside the kitchen? Because they were not subjected to those realities, a couple of them have a rose-colored view. Pol Pot’s chef, for example, has trouble reconciling the fact that the man who treated her so well could be capable of such brutality. Pinochet’s chef goes further, continuing to spout propaganda about his leadership. Others acknowledge the ugly truth while admitting they had the privilege of being in the dark at the time.

Working for the likes of Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong-Il brings with it a specific kind of anxiety. Should the dictator become displeased with the food quality, repercussions could be dire. One chef opens up about a time he thought – pun intended – his goose was cooked. In every case, the chefs took extra care to make each meal as perfect as it could be.

The entire concept of dictators has become much-discussed recently, thanks to developing situations in countries across the globe. How to Feed a Dictator adds significantly to that conversation. By focusing on five normal people with the same extraordinary job, the film warns us that those inclined to greatly abuse power have an insidious approach, so we need to be more alert than ever to how they operate. This is a gripping documentary that will make you hungry and tense at the same time.

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