Full Name
Kip Poole
Job Title
Executive Chef & Director
Company
The CROP Foundation
Speaker Bio
Washing meatloaf pans to working with celebrity chefs. It all began when my pops started taking me with him on his work trips. Now when I was younger I used to tell everyone that all my dad did was shake hands and take people out for fancy dinners, but of course it was more than that. So at an early age, I was eating at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, K-Paul’s in New Orleans and even the shady burger places down dark alleys late at night. Then, when I came home I always felt bad for my mom because she was always stuck at home cooking so I started recreating all these fancy meals at home so we could all sit around the table together.

It all started with something to do, a few extra bucks to put in my pocket, but it became a passion; a new goal. The restaurant career began in high school and continued into college. I headed to the education world at Virginia Tech and after a year, I found myself back to culinary. Getting closer to graduation I decided to participate in an internship at Walt Disney World where I learned the importance of professionalism and hospitality. Honestly, I only stayed here for a few months because they told me to go home early…(I’ll tell ya why when we meet).

After graduation, I journeyed on to the country club scene where I became the Kids Club Director. Here I found that kids loved food, not only grilled cheeses and chicken fingers but good food. After showing them a thing or two, I went to work with the leader of the Hospitality industry at the time, Xavier Teixdo (President of the National Restaurant Association) to learn the restaurant business. Years passed, and I was asked to help open up a seafood restaurant back in Norfolk, VA. Realizing I wanted something different, I decided to go back to school to teach. I wanted to make a change! I returned to school and received my Masters in Education and teaching became my new passion! While teaching culinary, I managed to compete on Guys Grocery Games on the Food Network, continued to work in the best restaurants in the area all while being the Executive Chef of Obis One LLC, living and breathing the desire of Culinary.

After a few years of teaching, I noticed that many students had tremendous talent but no direction, so I founded The CROP Foundation and decided to take a job back home as the Executive Chef of Virginia Beach City Public Schools to help change the way kids eat. From here, I took a leap and partnered with Kevin Jamison of Commune and started CommuneXCROP. So, with all that being said, I teach, I cook, I Create Opportunities for our youth.
Kip Poole