CHARLESTON — In April 2020, I spoke with Michael Zentner and his wife, Courtney, about a bread business they had just launched. They waxed poetic about the sourdough, whole wheat and Italian white breads they were selling to restaurant-starved residents in their downtown Wagener Terrace neighborhood.

Zentner explained how he began baking as his future remained unclear at Charleston Grill , where he’d been working as chef de cuisine. And they shared dreams of a private events company unlike any other in Charleston — one that would curate classy culinary gatherings with the sophisticated food to match.

Those who have tracked the Zentners and their business, The Drifter , know that vision has become a reality. A cozy corner market with a coffee bar, Petit Merci, and a 26-seat restau

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