‘A man of great appetites’: what’s it like to be a dictator’s personal chef?
In an often chilling new documentary, the chefs of brutal leaders from Idi Amin to Saddam Hussein, talk about their unusual lives behind the scenes
TL;DR
- The documentary 'How to Feed a Dictator' profiles five private chefs who served infamous dictators like Pol Pot, Kim Jong-il, Idi Amin, and Saddam Hussein.
- Chefs describe the constant danger, surveillance, and moral compromises inherent in their jobs, often balanced against significant personal comfort and benefits.
- The film explores the psychological impact on chefs, who sometimes struggle to reconcile the personal kindnesses shown by dictators with their brutal actions.
- Experiences vary from the terror of serving Kim Jong-il to the complex loyalty of Pol Pot's cook, Keo Samoun, and the profound regret of Idi Amin's chef, Charles Otonde Odera.
- The documentary highlights the idea that individuals contribute to dictatorships and that personal relationships can create a distorted reality, even in the face of mass atrocities.