Arthur Kenney-Herbert was a cavalry officer who served in India during the British Raj. Using the pen name "Wyvern", he wrote Culinary Jottings For Madras in which he gives instructions to British memsahibs on how to manage their servants, give refined dinners, and make Anglo-Indian curries. The book was a huge success, and made Wyvern famous in colonial India.



When he retired to England at the rank of colonel, Wyvern built on his reputation as a culinary authority. He founded a cookery school, gave cooking demonstrations, and wrote books and articles for prestigious magazines.



In this lively and fascinating biography, food historian and author of The Curry House website David Smith charts Wyvern's life and times, recreates his classic recipe for Madras Chicken Curry, and considers his legacy as a Victorian celebrity chef.

David Smith is an emeritus professor and the former Dean of McGill University's Faculty of Education. Born in Brighton, England, he grew up during World War II before emigrating to Canada. After setting down roots in the New World, he quickly began a lifetime commitment to both family and ventures of academic study and experience. He holds BEd and MA degrees from McGill, and a PhD from the University of London in the areas of Education and Philosophy. He is the author of many books, including Colonists at Port Royal (1969), The Seigneury of Longueuil (1970), and Changing Values: The Human Impact of Urbanization (1971). He also collaborated in the authoring of several works, such as Canada: Discovering Our Heritage (Senior Author, 1977), Educating for a Peaceful Future (with Terrance Carson, 1998), and Check Mate! (with Christopher Milligan, 2013). He currently resides in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, with his spouse, Cecilia Jayme.