About
Brad Ball, proprietor + wine director
A native Charlestonian, Brad Ball grew up in the restaurant industry, with his family owning six different restaurants in the area. At the age of twelve, he started working in various capacities for his family’s most prominent restaurant, Poogan’s Porch. After graduating from the College of Charleston with a philosophy degree, Ball became general manager of Poogan’s Porch. In 2005, looking to expand his knowledge in the culinary field, Ball moved to New York City to attend the French Culinary Institute.
After kitchen internships at Jean-Georges, a four-star Midtown restaurant, and Momofuku, a Japanese fusion restaurant in the East Village, Ball took a position as a sommelier at Aquavit in Manhattan. Under the supervision of Olivier Zardoni, formerly of Le Bernadin and Michael Mina, Ball had the opportunity to taste numerous back-vintage wines from exclusive producers, furthering his knowledge and fine-toning his palate. In addition, he earned his Advanced Certificate with Distinction from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust through the International Wine Center before returning to Charleston.
Upon his return, Ball became managing partner of Poogan’s Porch and also became a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. However, Ball quickly took note of the lack of wine bars in the Charleston area. He scouted locations and began the renovation of 188 East Bay into Social Restaurant + Wine Bar in May 2006.
Social opened on February 13, 2007 and has received much acclaim, including four stars from the Post & Courier and ‘Best Wine Selection’, ‘Best Happy Hour’ and ‘Best Upscale Bar’ by the City Paper. During this period Ball also began working towards his Diploma of Wine & Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, which he completed in the fall of 2008, becoming the first person with such distinction in Charleston. In 2010, Ball completed an executive MBA program with a wine industry focus through the Bordeaux Ecole de Management (BEM). He is now actively pursuing an Advanced Sommelier certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers and Master of Wine.
Not one to slow down, Ball also launched the La Wine Agency in 2010. The wines produced adhere to a defined set of standards to help show what La Wine Agency believes to be “PROPER WINES,” aka un-manipulated, pure expressions of specific varietals or styles that are sustainably produced. The goal of La Wine Agency is to create a conversation with new wine drinkers that emphasizes balance and finesse, over power and extraction. La Wine Agency works with well-known, artisanal winemakers to develop these benchmark examples. La Wine’s current product offerings are La Bubbly, La Pinot, and La Chard.
Zach Smith, general manager
A Charlotte, NC native, Zach Smith made his way to Charleston, SC in February 2010 to take the job as General Manager at Social Restaurant + Wine Bar.
A career in the hospitality industry was a natural fit for Smith. From his first job as a dishwasher to working as a bartender, it was the challenge of how to run a successful business that Smith enjoyed. At the University of Houston, Smith received a degree in restaurant and hotel management. Putting his degree to use, Smith looked to larger restaurant holding companies to further his education and start his career. Smith began with Brinker International as a Corporate Trainer and then eventually moved on to work as a trainer with Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse while living in Texas. Smith also had a passion for wine and took a second job as a Supervisor with Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods, which eventually led to working with the Levy Restaurant Group as a Wine Steward and Restaurant Supervisor.
After years of working in Texas, Smith returned home to Charlotte to be closer to his family and take on the General Manager positions at Hickory Tavern and then XO Tapas Restaurant & Lounge. But after years of working in the competitive Houston, Smith began to look outside of Charlotte and set his sites on the growing culinary city of Charleston, SC.
At Social Restaurant + Wine Bar, Smith has helped the restaurant evolve into a successful business with a noted beverage program. In conjunction with the direction of the wine program set by Brad Ball, owner of Social Restaurant + Wine Bar, Smith has elevated the beer and cocktail selection, focusing on craft beers and classic style cocktails with intriguing combinations.
Under the mentorship of Ball, Smith became a Certified Sommelier in 2010. The following year, Smith was named one of GQ magazine’s ‘Most Inspired Bartenders in the Nation.’
Jesse Sutton, executive chef
For Chef Jesse Sutton, the finishing touch on a dish isn’t the sauce or the sides, but the perfect pairing with a glass of wine. Driven by cultural context, Sutton looks to the traditional ingredients and natural resources of a region to inspire what he creates on the plate.
Born in Carrboro, NC, Sutton grew up in Urbana, IL. He found his way into the kitchen by the age of 18 and his culinary journey began. Sutton enrolled at Kendall College and received his AAS. His enthusiasm and willingness to learn found him in an apprenticeship with the noted avant-garde chef, Grant Achatz at Trio restaurant. This experience made Sutton realize that the culinary world was ever-evolving and that it was a direction that he wanted to pursue as a career.
From Chicago, Sutton headed to New Orleans to try his hand at pastry at Commander’s Palace. He was in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit and shut down the city. Post-Katrina, Sutton returned to the Big Easy and joined the kitchen at the French-Mediterranean restaurant Cuvee, while simultaneously pursuing a B.A. in Hotel & Restaurant Management at the University of New Orleans. Upon graduation, Sutton made the decision to leave New Orleans in pursuit of another culinary destination: Charleston, SC.
In 2006, Sutton joined the Woodlands, South Carolina’s only 5-star, 5-diamond restaurant where he worked his way up from a line cook, to Sous-Chef, to Executive Sous-Chef. After three years at the Woodlands, Sutton moved his culinary pursuits to downtown Charleston, to work as the Sous-Chef at Tristan Restaurant under Nate Whiting. In this role, Sutton was able to actively shape the menu design and recipe development, while continuing to hone his craft.
But it was a trip to France, where he experienced first-hand the European approach to dining, that changed his approach and cultivated an interest in how wine can enhance the food. Dining at Lucas Carton, a Parisian staple in the culinary world, Sutton’s eyes were opened in a new way of pairing food and wine together as an inseparable experience.
In 2011, Sutton’s culinary journey took another turn as he took on the role of Executive-Chef at Social Restaurant + Wine Bar in Charleston, SC. At Social Restaurant + Wine Bar, in collaboration with owner and Sommelier Brad Ball, Sutton has found a home where wine plays a central part in each dish he creates. Drawing from the old-world wine regions of the world, Sutton is able to take diners on a culinary journey to places like France, or Germany or Spain. At Social Restaurant + Wine Bar, Sutton is able to tell simple, elegant stories from around the world with a wine glass, a plate and a vision.
Christian Broder, assistant general manager + floor sommelier
Christian Broder, Assistant Manager and Floor Sommelier of Social Restaurant + Wine Bar, attributes much of his understanding of food and wine to his parents. Broder’s father is a food chemist who taught him early on how to value the sense of taste and the hidden elements within each bite or sip. This has aided Broder in developing his palate and made him hyper-aware of flavor. It was his mother, though, that pressed Christian to continue to try new foods from a young age.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Broder’s family moved to the family farm in Stockbridge, Georgia when he was 12-years-old. This move to the East Coast led him to find and enroll at the College of Charleston in 2002, where he graduated with a degree in International Business with a focus on the Spanish language and culture.
His first two years of college, Broder worked full time at Poogan’s Porch, where he was first exposed to the stylistic elements of wine. This began his exploration into the world of wine, taking it from an enjoyable curiosity to something he actively wanted to pursue professionally or otherwise.
After graduation, Broder spent several months traveling throughout South America, tasting wines and exploring vineyards. His infatuation with different cultures and exposure to farm life back home meshed well with his desire to understand and appreciate winemaking around the world. “No matter what you’re cultivating, a farmer is a farmer- Whether its cattle or grapevines”, he says.
Upon his return to the United States, Broder found himself back in Charleston working at COAST restaurant, where he worked for four years as a trainer, server and bartender. While at COAST, Broder was able to develop an understanding for the inner-workings of a highly successful restaurant. His training focused on attention to quality, successful operation tactics and restaurant management.
In February 2010, Broder joined the Social Restaurant + Wine Bar team as a bartender and was promoted to Assistant Manager in 2011.
At Social, Broder assists in the regular business and management operations of the Charleston, SC restaurant and wine bar. Along with helping to manage inventory and conducting staff wine tastings, he began to intensely study wine under the tutelage of owner Brad Ball. In September 2011, Broder received his level-two sommelier certification from the Guild of Master Sommeliers. He continues to pursue distinctions, while always being a student of wine.
