Chef Kip Poole on how KOOR-SOO helped create The CROP Foundation
Leave it to one of Virginia Beach’s most beloved chefs to warm up an otherwise frigid January morning, as we gathered in The Garage Gallery at The Creative Well Arts Foundation to kick off 2026 in the uplifting spirit of KOOR-SOO, a Farsi word for “glimmer of hope.”
From a young age, Kip Poole implicitly understood the significance of helping others fulfill their full potential. “I have never wanted to be number one, but I want to help others get there,” he said. “I want to see the best in every person.” And his 30-year community-centered culinary career has certainly done just that.
Kip spent the early part of his career in a wide variety of restaurant roles, honed his hospitality skills at Walt Disney World, and saw kids’ desire to connect with and enjoy food as the Kids Club Director at Philadelphia Country Club. Impassioned by his conviction to teach and inspire a new generation of culinary enthusiasts, he returned to college to earn his Master’s in Education from Wilmington University in 2011.
As a culinary arts teacher at Delaware’s William Penn High School, Kip led students through a transformative experience, restoring and retrofitting an abandoned barnhouse into a sprawling farm and dining venue. During this time, Kip experienced first-hand the reward that comes from giving others the time, space and guidance needed to realize a new skill or accomplish something they’d never even dreamed of. He has focused on nurturing that feeling ever since.
The farm’s themed culinary events, catered and organized by his students, grew and grew, snowballing into what ultimately became The Crop Foundation (CROP), a nonprofit organization that has, since 2014, provided hundreds of students with the opportunity to train and work in real-world kitchens and restaurant environments.
Inspired by his father, Kip set out to plant his next chapter “where his roots are,” right here in coastal Virginia, where he grew up. As the Executive Chef for the Virginia Beach City Public Schools scratch-cooking program, Kip helped build 8 school gardens and train dozens of school kitchen staff. He later became the Executive Chef at Commun in Norfolk, a farm-to-table restaurant run by CROP students.
All the while, CROP’s impact has continued to grow, creating opportunities well beyond what Kip had once imagined. A large majority of his students now helm kitchens in renowned restaurants around the country – and continue to count Kip as a mentor and champion.
“Those kids, those are the KOOR-SOO, the glimmers of hope. They’re the ones who make it happen. And it’s all because I just gave them a little push.”
To date, CROP students have been engaged to host a variety of high-profile events Elephant in the Room and Mighty Dream , stewarded by Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams. Kip and CROP regularly host an array of culinary community events, each intended to bring people together around local food.
In 2024, with the continued motivation of his late dad, Kip opened Yorkie’s in the ViBe Creative District. The modern deli market combines convenience, sustainability and community engagement, all while – you guessed it – cultivating the talent of CROP students, who serve as cooks and servers at the restaurant.
“To me, Yorkie’s isn’t a lunch place, it’s our home.”
In addition to nurturing others, Kip has cultivated his own adventures, pursuing opportunities to get outside of his comfort zone in the spirit of learning and connecting with others. In 2016, he competed in the Food Network’s acclaimed “Guy’s Grocery Games,” hosted by Guy Fieri. Most recently, he was one of three Virginia chefs to participate in HBO Max’s “The Big Brunch,” a reality culinary competition executive-produced by Emmy award-winning actor, producer and creator Dan Levy.
“The way I see it, there are a lot more things to do, events to host, people to bring together. There’s vision behind everything I do. I hope that’s what you all take away from this: if you have an idea, let’s do it! Let’s just get it done.”
To learn more about CROP’s work in our community and be notified of upcoming events, visit thecrop.org.
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Written by CMVB volunteer blogger Valeria L. Palmertree
Join us every third Friday in 2026 as we explore, along with 236 other cities in 69 countries around the world, 12 new themes in a face-to-face community format. Recent themes have included Soft, Growth and Innovation. February’s theme is CAMINO, and our featured speaker is Kindra Greene.
CM also has virtual field trips and a database of previous talks to enjoy and explore at home.
