Michael Zentner has followed a fairly normal career path in the restaurant industry, but in many ways has had an unusual level of success. He started by washing dishes in restaurants in his native Rhode Island and then attended The Culinary Institute of America before working in restaurants in Idaho, Boston, and Washington, D.C., including a stint with chef and restaurateur Michael Schlow.
He moved to Charleston, South Carolina, to be closer to his wife Courtney’s family, cooking at Charleston Grill under chef Michael Weaver.
That came to an end with the pandemic, and the Zentners started a catering and event business called The Drifter. In 2025 they decided to open a restaurant and found an 1820s townhouse that he turned into a 24-seat restaurant called Merci. The signature dish is Beef Wellington, but Zentner also celebrates the bounty of the region by cooking with the local produce. It’s open just four days a week and is always busy…