Executive chef and co-owner of The Depot Scott Simpson has spent nearly 30 years traveling the world to learn the secrets of every type of cuisine.
“I realized that to really get the development I wanted, I would have to move around,” Simpson said.
And so his journey as a chef began in California at a French restaurant.
Simpson trained in destinations around the world such as Bali and Panama. Several years ago, Simpson got involved in the culinary section of the University’s hospitality program through the hotel he was working for at the time.
After working in the hotel company’s restaurants as well as with the hospitality program, Simpson hit a road block. He wasn’t sure where he wanted to take his career next.
“I kind of took a sabbatical, pilgrimage and thought about what I was doing,” Simpson said. “When I quit the hotel company I had no plans. I drove across the country visiting relatives on no schedule.”
While on his sabbatical, Simpson received a call from The Depot’s owners about running the kitchen of their new restaurant.
Simpson was unsure at first, but once he learned that their vision was a seafood restaurant, he knew he had to be involved.
“This was my opportunity to do what every chef dreams of, and that’s be a part owner in a restaurant,” Simpson said. “To be doing something that you’ll influence and have a commitment to for a lifetime.”
Simpson was sold, so he moved to Auburn full time to begin his work at The Depot.
The Depot has sous-chefs that work with Simpson to help run the kitchen. He often helps them with food ordering and pairings.
Each day Simpson comes in with his staff to prepare food. While they do this, they order the next day’s food.
“When we start service, it gives me the opportunity to follow food out and talk to guests,” Simpson said. “I make sure that they are enjoying everything, and I listen to their feedback.”
Not long after the lunch crowds dwindle, in come the dinner guests vying for the specials of the night. The specials are always fresh, especially the seafood.
Serving fresh food is of the utmost importance to Simpson, which is why he often turns to local vendors.
“We already buy certain products and staples of our menu, and they’re kind of larger productions,” Simpson said. “I’m trying to connect with people that are getting on their feet.”
Simpson isn’t just looking to incorporate local vendors’ food — he likes to add in flares from his worldwide training.
“Sometimes I’ll bring a product from another part of the world that is great that no one is going to find or hear of here,” Simpson said. “I’ll bring it, and I’ll do kind of a regional flavor to it. So then people aren’t so intimidated by it.”
His lunch menu features largely iconic seafood dishes, Simpson said.
Continue reading below...
“I call it ‘ports of call,’” Simpson said. “I take the best seafood dish that’s done with lobster, and I try to think, ‘What’s a nice lobster dish that’s world famous?’ I decided for America, I thought I would do a very upgraded lobster role, so that represents Maine and Boston.”
To make a reference to his time in California, Simpson added authentic Baja-style fish tacos to the lunch menu as well as a gumbo to represent the Cajun side of America.
Simpson doesn’t just stick to featuring U.S. locations; he goes international, too, with his Linguine Vongole, a seafood pasta dish, to represent Italy.
“They’re from all over the place, and then I’m doing exotic preparations,” Simpson said.
Dinner is more adventurous, Simpson said. Approximately a third of the menu rotates throughout the year as food goes in and out of season.
“The heart of the menu, the very center of the menu, are the daily fresh catch, daily specials and our oysters,” Simpson said. “Every day, we buy and feature at least six oysters — some from the Gulf, from the East, from the West Coast.”
Oysters, as a whole, are somewhat of a staple for The Depot. The light gray oyster shells stretch along the back of the Mitcham Avenue restaurant and run alongside the train tracks.
Simpson encourages his guests to sample the different types of oysters as he and his staff educate them on the differences.
Simpson has become well known throughout the state for his exotic takes on classic dishes. In June, Simpson was one of four chefs selected to compete in the fourth annual Alabama Seafood Cookoff.
He and the other three chefs were selected based on the original recipes they submitted. Simpson brought home second place with his Italian-inspired seafood dish during his first shot at the annual competition.
Continue reading below...
“It was a play on my experience and knowledge of Italian cooking,” Simpson said.
Simpson said he based his dish, the Alabama Pompanella, off of the well-known Italian salad panzanella. The salad usually features bread, heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil and vinaigrette.
The local famers he interacts with and their produce inspired Simpson to create the salad, but with a twist only he could cook up.
“The farmer’s market basket inspired me to make a panzanella with corn, conecuh bacon, some fresh green beans and all the other ingredients,” Simpson said. “I put fried oysters in instead of the bread.”
Simpson tied his dish back to what is most important to him, creating dishes from fresh foods with a flare of exotic culture from his worldwide training. That is what he strives to do each day when serving the Auburn community his one-of-a-kind menu at The Depot.
“We make everything from scratch,” Simpson said. “We are able to really accommodate all kinds of special requests. The menu is speckled with luxury items but also very affordable dishes done just for college students.”
Share and discuss “'Ports of call'” on social media.