The rules we set ourselves.
WAMC operates under a constitution first ratified in 1950. It defines who we are, who may belong, how the association is owned and run, and how it may one day be wound up.
Short, plain, and binding.
The constitution is short by design — twelve articles, twenty-two pages, and no jargon. It is the single document every chapter, representative and member can point to when a question of principle arises.
It is maintained by the two owners and updated as the association evolves. Every amendment is dated and published here so the current version is always the one you are reading.
The twelve articles.
Each article is deliberately brief. Together they cover everything from who we are to how we would close.
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01
Name & objects
Establishes the World Association of Master Chefs, its purpose, and its standing as an independent, member-funded body.
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02
Membership categories
Defines the tiers of membership — from Affiliate through to Master Chef and the honorary Executive tier — and what each represents.
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03
Admission & investiture
Sets out how members are proposed, assessed and formally invested, and the commitments they accept on joining.
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04
Rights & obligations
Describes the rights members hold and the duties they owe to the association and to one another.
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05
Ownership & governance
Vests ownership in the two owners and sets out how the association is directed on their behalf.
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06
Appointed representatives
Provides for the appointment, authority and accountability of the representatives who run the association day to day.
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07
Chapters & regions
Governs the formation, naming and stewardship of chapters and the regions they belong to.
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08
Meetings & decisions
Sets the rules for calling meetings, forming a quorum, and recording decisions.
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09
Finances & fees
Covers membership fees, the handling of association funds, and financial accountability.
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10
Conduct & discipline
Binds members to the Code of Conduct and establishes the independent Standards Panel and its outcomes.
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11
Amendment
Reserves the power to amend the constitution to the owners, and sets out how changes are made and published.
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12
Dissolution & winding up
Sets out the circumstances and process by which the association may be wound up, and how any assets are dealt with.
How it is maintained.
The owners review the constitution as the association grows. Amendments are rare, considered, and always recorded — each carries the date it took effect, and the full history is available to members on request.
Read the full document.
The complete constitution — all twelve articles — in a single PDF.