About
Brad Ball, owner
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 in February 2010 to take the job as general manager at Social Restaurant + Wine Bar.
His interest in the food and beverage industry began during his first job at the Italian restaurant Pizzarellis. “I had to sweat in the ‘dungeon’ washing dishes but I loved it and knew that working in this industry was what I wanted,” said Smith.
Taking his passions to the next level, Smith attended the University of Houston where he received a degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management. During college he worked as a bartender and sold wine for a wholesaler. From those jobs Smith gained extensive knowledge of the beverage industry and became a certified sommelier.
After college Smith spent the next nine years working in various hospitality industries based in Charlotte and Houston, one of the most competitive markets in the country. Moving to Charleston and working at Social was a big career move for him.
“I’m very proud to be working at Social and believe that this opportunity will be a great chance for me to progress my knowledge of the food and beverage industry and a step towards becoming a master sommelier,” said Smith.
Before joining Social, Smith worked at XO Tapas Restaurant & Lounge in Cornelius, NC, Upstream in Charlotte, NC, Red and White Wine Bistro in Houston, TX and various other establishments throughout Texas and North Carolina.
