On the menu tonight: Salad of roasted vegetables and grilled chicken on a bed of field greens drizzled with a Vidalia onion vinaigrette; South African chopped herring; sweet potato bisque; chicken Wellington; chicken Kiev; wild rice medley; tilapia a’oeuf; Sicilian blend of vegetables; teriyaki salmon; brownies with bourbon sauce; and apple-pomegranate cobbler.

You will be surprised to learn that these selections are just a sampling of the foods offered to diners at … The Cedars at the JCC. What’s more, all the food is kosher and is prepared by an executive chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. You might also be surprised to learn that this very same chef is none other than Gershon Schwadron, the former owner/chef of the now- shuttered Schmeers kosher restaurant in University City.

My father recently underwent surgery on his leg and spent a week in rehab at The Cedars. He elected to have all of his meals in the kosher dining room, an option available to all residents and patients at no additional charge. I accompanied my father to dinner each day and sampled some of the gourmet delights.

The chicken Kiev, stuffed with a tarragon spiked margarine filling and coated by a light, crispy breading, was flavorful and perfectly cooked. It was preceded by a rich, creamy corn chowder which, Schwadron assured me, was parve and made without a drop of cream.

Not everyone eating in the kosher dining room is used to feasting on this type of food. In fact, my father and I were seated at a table with five other people who recoiled at the sight of the chicken because of its mysterious filling.

“What is this green stuff in here?” said one, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

I explained to my father’s tablemates the source of the color and suggested that they would be passing up a treat if they didn’t at least taste it. When the plates were taken away by the wait staff at the end of the meal, no chicken Kiev remained.

After being wowed by the kosher haute cuisine at the JCA, I had to meet the master chef.

As I watched this first Orthodox graduate of the Culinary Institute of America at work in the kitchen and kibbitzing with diners at meals, Schwadron reminded me of a jolly, clean-shaven, Jewish version of St. Nicholas.

“In my vocabulary,” he told me, “the word ‘no’ does not exist. My challenge here is to make everyone happy and satisfied. Some people can’t eat certain things so I’ll tweak the menu to meet their needs. One of the residents is lactose-intolerant. I am careful to prepare his blintzes with tofutti rather than cream cheese. Someone else doesn’t eat meat so I’ll prepare fish for her when meat is on the menu.”

Schwadron prepares the meals for Friday night and Saturday and Sunday ahead of time so that he can observe the Sabbath with friends.

In addition to preparing daily meals, Schwadron does all the catering for special events, such as the Ladies Auxiliary luncheons, corporate dinners, and private weddings. At one such event, guests enjoyed a kosher sushi bar, pot stickers and mini knishes.

“I started cooking when I was four years old. I would make late-night snacks for my mother while my father worked.”

He told me that his father loved cooking and his mother was “a pretty good cook.” His inspiration, however, came from Graham Kerr, “The Galloping Gourmet.”

“I used to watch the show everyday as a kid. It came on right before the Mike Douglas talk show,” he reminisced.

Schwadron’s favorite food is brisket, which he prepares several different ways. And, as he told me, “nothing ever goes to waste in my kitchen” — as in his tantalizing version of kreplach set forth below.

Gershon Schwadron’s Holiday Kreplach

3 large yellow onions, sliced

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or schmaltz

1/2-1 pound leftover brisket

1 egg for each cup of filling

Salt and pepper, to taste

One 12 ounce package wonton wraps

1 egg mixed with 1 tsp. of water for egg wash

6 chicken bouillon cubes

Place oil or schmaltz in a large skillet and warm over medium heat Add onions and saut é until browned and carmelized, approximately 15 minutes. Set aside.

Place brisket through a grinder or finely chop in a food processor. Transfer ground brisket to a large bowl and add onions, mixing with a wooden spoon or clean hands until thoroughly combined. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Estimating the amount of filling in the bowl, add one egg for every cup of filling. Mix well.

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper or parchment paper. Fill a large pot with water. Add bouillon cubes and bring water to a rolling boil.

On a clean counter, line wonton wraps in even rows. Brush each wrap lightly with egg wash. Place a rounded tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrap. Fold each wrap into a triangle, pressing edges together to seal. Place, in a single layer, on prepared pans.

Drop 6-8 kreplach in broth and cook until they float to the top of the pot, 2-3 minutes. Remove kreplach with a slotted spoon and place on a dry baking sheet. Continue boiling remaining kreplach. Place 3-4 kreplach in a bowl of hot chicken soup and serve. Leftover cooked kreplach can be frozen in a zip-lock bag for 2-3 months. Yield: 25 kreplach, serving approximately 6-8 people.

Margi Lenga Kahn, mother of five and grandmother of one, is the Community Relations coordinator for the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in University City. She also teaches cooking at the Kitchen Conservatory and in private homes. Cooking is a labor of love for Margi, who enjoys creating culinary delights for family and friends. Please send comments and suggestions to [email protected].