Jerry Simpson: Crafting Artisanal Salt in Bequia
“We all know your idea is crazy; the question is, is it crazy enough?”
The next most frequently asked question we hear while hosting visitors to our Salt Farm and production facility here on Bequia is the following:
“How did you get this idea; what made you decide to do this, and what did you do before?”
Who is Jerry Simpson?
Like so many modern comers to the ancient trades, Jerry Simpson, the founder of Grenadine Wild Sea Salt, is a Renaissance man. With a career spanning three decades as a highly sought-after commercial photographer and film director in New York City, his company at the time, Simpson Films, produced and directed ads for a range of blue chip clients such as Heineken, Campbell’s, Pepsi, Burger King, Dannon, Kraft, Miller Beer, Pillsbury, Nature Valley, Stouffer’s, Estee Lauder, Revlon, Calvin Klein and Neutrogena to name a few. His film work has been chosen for the permanent collection of Museum of Modern Art in New York City, speaking to his level of visual mastery.
As much of a tinkerer, inventor and problem solver, Jerry designed and renovated three commercial film studios in NYC, and founded the company Eastlight Digital in Long Island City; a studio complex offering editing and post production services. The Food Network show “Chopped”, along with several other cooking shows, including Chef Bobby Flay’s, were shot and produced there as well. As an artist, Jerry feels lucky to have begun his career when photography was a craft, shooting 8x10 film with a view camera for early clients such as Food and Wine and Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Then, as a advocate and pioneer in the use of digital cinema in TV commercials, Jerry partnered with both Panasonic and Phantom, beta testing their early cameras, riding that fascinating wave in the industry transitioning from film to digital. That’s the short version.
From NYC to Bequia in the Grenadines
With a full time move to Bequia in 2016, where he had been vacationing for many years with his family, and not one to sit around—no matter how good the rum punch—the idea of producing gourmet sea salt began simmering. As a photographer and film director specializing in food, Jerry had been immersed in the gourmet culinary scene the whole of his adult life. Very much inspired by the pristine, crystal clear seawater of the Grenadines and fascinated by the history of salt and its relevance amongst his chef pals, he began to experiment with solar evaporating sea water as it had been done for centuries; a very simple and ancient process. As a result, Grenadine Wild Sea Salt was born. Jerry’s unique and newly patented designs for the salt stills evolved after much trial and error with conventional open air solar evaporation methods. You can read more about his inspiration and evolution of the idea on our blog here.
Jerry’s initial vision for the company was primarily to export the salt abroad to high end markets in the United States. The idea to restore the old sugar mill, then part of Firefly Estate in Spring , the oldest structure on the island as a base of operations for the business came later: the ‘is it crazy enough’ piece. The beauty of the property with its ancient ruin beckoned. Crazy beautiful.
Ever the fixer guy, ever the idea guy, ever the 'How can we make this better"‘ guy, Jerry is evolving Grenadine Wild Sea Salt into a world class travel destination as well as a world class gourmet food brand. In addition to the creation of the Grenadine Wild Sea Salt product line, Jerry’s latest venture with his wife and partner, Elizabeth, has been the creation of a park-like setting at The Mill where visitors learn not only about their process for producing the sea salt, but about the history of the Mill and surrounding island of Bequia. Many guests liken the experience to that of visiting a winery for its combination of culinary, cultural and local experiences. Stay tuned!