Scott Simpson: Bringing the Taste of the World to Auburn

Dec 23

“I kept asking myself, ‘What do I really want to do? Do I want to keep bouncing all over the world, or do I want to take my skills…and apply them to something bigger?’”

Words & Photography by Hueman Collective

From Florence, Italy to Napa Valley, California, the man behind the finest seafood dishes you'll find in Auburn has trained with the best. After 20 years of honing his culinary skills while traveling the globe, Scott Simpson now calls Auburn home and has invested in one of its most historic structures, The Depot.

Chef Scott first moved to Auburn in 2014 following a successful international career opening and working at some of the finest restaurants in the world. It was during this transition that Chef found himself on a self-described, “pilgrimage.”

“I kept asking myself, ‘What do I really want to do? Do I want to keep bouncing all over the world, or do I want to take my skills…and apply them to something bigger?’”

It was during this pilgrimage that Chef Scott was contacted by Matt and Jana Poirier, the owners of a local Auburn favorite, The Hound, to see if he would be interested in partnering with them to open a new restaurant. When asked what his favorite kind of food to cook was, Chef didn’t hesitate: seafood. After living in coastal cities for most of his life, his tastes and culinary passion naturally gravitate toward seafood.

“In the week, if you think back, how many times you actually have really nice seafood, it's usually not very often,” Chef says. “Sometimes, people go a whole month just eating other things, and they don't realize how healthy (seafood) is for you, number one, and they don't realize how delicious it is when it's done well, number two.”

Presented with the opportunity to cook the cuisine he loved in a town he was already charmed by, Chef Scott agreed to come aboard with the other owners, and together they began laying the groundwork for the new restaurant.

“That's where my heart was, and it just worked out perfectly...it’s quite exciting to be involved in birthing something new.”

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The Depot

The Depot’s name gives homage to the building’s history, which was originally a train depot built in 1847 and served as the hub of transportation for the growing Auburn community, as well as a lifeline for importing and exporting goods. The historic train depot has been as much a part of Auburn’s rich past as Toomer’s Corner or Samford Hall’s clock tower. In nearly 175 years, the building has seen its highs and lows–experiencing great prosperity, war and eventual abandonment. However, in 2015 the train depot was reborn.

Revitalized and repurposed, much of the building’s original architecture and elements were kept and incorporated into the new restaurant. The original black and white tiled floor remains in the dining room, while the bar, chef’s table and host stand were crafted from the original heartwood pine that served as the station’s train platform. Even the menu honors the history of the old depot by combining familiar flavors with taste from afar.

Chef Scott describes the menu as “gulf-coastal cuisine with a worldly flare.” When preparing the menu, Chef tries to take what he has learned internationally and bring it to Alabama. He does this by either taking fresh caught, gulf seafood and preparing it in a unique, international way, or by bringing in exotic, rare ingredients and preparing them with a classic southern twist.

Chef’s inspiration for new menu items comes from many places.It may be a hard-to-find ingredient his staff may not be familiar with, or from what is available locally. While describing the importance of fresh, local ingredients in The Depot’s recipes, Chef reflects on some eggplant he recently discovered while walking with the owners through the gardens at Hornsby Farms. Chef says the eggplant was so beautiful that he simply had to incorporate them into the upcoming menu.

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Building A Legacy

For Chef Scott, being an owner of The Depot has changed everything–creating opportunities he never could have dreamed of while traveling the world moving from one restaurant to another. As his roots grow deeper in the Auburn area, he is able to continue making world class cuisine while also making a lasting impact on the community and beyond.

Under Chef Scott’s leadership, The Depot is the first restaurant in Alabama to become part of the James Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch program. This program is designed to increase the sustainability of the global seafood supply chain by providing support to chefs who serve seafood that has been fished or farmed in environmentally-responsible ways, as well as holding them accountable to high ethical and sustainability standards.

Chef Scott felt it was important to join a program like Smart Catch because so many companies are using terms like “organic” or “sustainably grown” as a marketing tool without actually committing to the principles.

“Let's just say you were a small farmer and you're taking the time and care to do everything organic. Then you see some big label at some major grocery store saying they are now organic, and you're going, ‘How so?’"

“I was excited about a program that is going to have major influence with chefs. James Beard House is recognized kind of like the ‘Oscars for chefs’,” he jokes. “The people that are awarded the James Beard Chef or the people that go and cook at the James Beard House – everyone wants to get that achievement as a chef. So for (The James Beard Foundation) to say, ‘Hey, we're going to look at the products that you bring here to cook and that you buy and use in your facility,’ that's going to very quickly change how important the topic is and how much people strive to achieve better consciousness about their menu design.”

The Depot’s partnership with the James Beard Foundation is not only making an impact in the culinary world, it is also having an impact on local farmers and fishers.

“(For local businesses) we have been able to say ‘look, this is a product we're getting. We're absolutely sure it’s sustainable, and it may not be on your charts. Can you go check it out and include it in your list of approved products?’”

Chef Scott never thought he and his family would find themselves living and working in a small town in Alabama, but he is grateful this is where they landed. By committing to serve excellent food in responsible ways, the old, abandoned train depot once again serves it’s community well and reaches communities in ways not possible without it.

You can enjoy a delicious meal by Chef Scott Simpson and experience the history of The Depot for yourself at 124 Mitcham Ave. in downtown Auburn. Check out their website, www.allaboardauburn.com, for reservations and more information. To learn more about the James Beard Foundation and how the Smart Catch program is impacting the global seafood supply chain, visit www.jamesbeard.org/smart-catch.