International
Bylaws
Confrérie
de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
Association governed by the Law of July 1, 1901
Registered office: 7, rue d'Aumale, F-75009 PARIS, FRANCE
(This
English translation has been prepared for information purposes only. In
case of conflict between the French version and this translation, the
French version shall control.)
These by-laws
cancel and replace any and all statutory or other rules which may have
existed with respect to their subject matter.
At Easter
1950, three gourmets, CURNONSKY elected Prince of the Gastronomes, Dr
Auguste BECART and Jean VALBY and two professionals, Louis GIRAUDON and
Marcel DORIN pledged to restore the spirit of the ancient guild in bringing
together professionals and amateurs of good food and gourmets.
In August
1950, the Confrérie do la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs was
founded. The by-laws were filed with the Prefecture de Police of Paris
on August 3, 1950 and published in the "journal officiel de la République
Francaise" on August 29, 1950, page 9316.
Ever since,
the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs has continued to develop, not only
in France, but throughout the world.
Article
1
The Confrérie
de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs (hereinafter the "Chaîne")
is composed of all individuals and legal entities having accepted these
by-laws by joining the Chaîne according to the rules of admission
provided for by the "règlement intérieur."
Article
2
The objective
of the Chaîne is to promote gastronomy and the "culture de
la table" in their broadest sense, whether it involves food or drink,
in all countries, by encouraging in particular the development of the
culinary arts, specifically grilling and spit cooking techniques; and,
more generally to carry out all acts, to perform all operations and to
perform all activities accessory or connected to this objective or which
may facilitate its realization.
Article
3
The Chaîne
will implement its objectives through the organization of; among others,
meals, conferences, conventions, competitions, chapter meetings, exhibitions,
culinary and gastronomic demonstrations, press articles and publications
regardless of the form or medium. The resources of the Chaîne are
all those allowed by the laws and regulations in force at any given time.
Article
4
The members
of the Chaîne have a duty of fraternity and respect of their fellow
members.
Article
5
The world
headquarters of the Chaîne shall be located in France, at any address
the Board of Directors may determine. As of today the registered office
is at 7, rue d'Aumale, 75009 Paris.
Article
6
6.01 The
Chaîne is organized in as many National Bailliages as the number
of countries in which there are enough members to justify the formation
of a Bailliages.
6.02 Each
of these National Bailliages shall be governed by a Bureau under the authority
of a Bailli Délégué and shall carry out its activities
in accordance with these by-laws, the "règlement intérieur"
and the instructions which may be issued by the Board of Directors from
time to time.
6.03 The
amount of the dues to be paid by members of any given National Bailliage
shall be determined by the Bureau of such Bailliages with the approval
of the Board of Directors. The amount of the sums the National Bailliage
may retain in order to develop its activities and the amount of the sums
to be paid to the headquarters of the Chaîne shall be determined
by the Board of Directors.
6.04 The
decision to form a National Bailliage belongs to the Board of Directors,
which shall designate the Bailli Délégué.
Article
7
7.01 The
Chaîne is governed by a Board of Directors composed of 5 to 15 members.
Directors shall be elected by the General Assembly. Except in the event
of prior termination by the General Assembly their term of office shall
be approximately 3 years and shall expire upon adjournment of the General
Assembly called to approve the accounts of the second fiscal year following
that during which such Directors shall have been elected. For example,
and except in the event of prior termination by the General Assembly Directors
elected by the General Assembly called to act on the accounts of the fiscal
year ended September- 30, 1993 shall remain in office until the date of
the General Assembly called to act on the accounts of the fiscal year
ended September 30, 1996. Directors may be reelected without limitation.
7.02 Board
meetings are called by the President or by 25% of the Board members, at
anyplace specified in the notice of the meeting. Notice must be sent sufficiently
in advance so that it is received at least 14 days prior to the meeting.
In any event; the Board must meet at least once per semester. If no Board
meeting is held for more than 9 consecutive months, any Director may call
a meeting.
7.03 The
Board shall only be able to act upon the agenda set forth in the notice
of meeting.
7.04 Furthermore,
the Board of Directors may make no valid decision unless at least 50%
of its members attend the meeting, in person or by proxy. Each Director
may represent one or several other Directors at Board meetings. Proxies
may be given in any written form, including by telex or telecopy.
7.05 Subject
to the provisions of Article 7.06 below all decisions of the Board shall
be adopted by a majority vote of those members present or represented.
In case of a tie vote, the decision shall rest with the President.
7.06 The
Board of Directors may by decision of a two-thirds majority of the total
number of members composing the Board, appoint other Board members, up
to a maximum number of 15 members. The term of office of the Directors
thus appointed shall expire at the same date as that on which the term
of office of the elected Directors shall expire.
7.07 Should
the number of Directors become fewer than 5, any Director may after conferring
with the other Directors, call a General Assembly as soon as possible
to elect a new Board.
Article
8
8.01 The
President is elected by the General Assembly for the same term as that
of the other Directors. He may be reelected without limitation.
8.02 The
President must reside in France.
8.03 The
President shall carry out his duties subject to the control of the Board
and must implement the resolutions which may be adopted by the Board.
Subject to the foregoing, and subject to the terms of these by-laws, the
President has full authority to act in all circumstances in the interest
and in the name of the Chaîne which he represents vis-à-vis
third parties. He may delegate powers as he deems fit. Such delegations
may be expressed or implied and shall always be revocable.
8.04 The
President shall seek Board approval for any decision which, given its
impact on the financial situation of the Chaîne or its image, or
given its strategic nature, may not be regarded as a decision to be made
in the regular and day-today course of business. This applies, in particular
to any major capital expenditure, any recruitment of high-level employees,
any major advertising expenditure or any decision pertaining to the definition
of the communication policy or the policy to be implemented regarding
licenses of the name and/or logo of the Chaîne.
8.05 Should,
for any reason whatsoever the President be unable to act, any Director
shall, as soon as possible, call a Board meeting which shall appoint an
interim President and call a General Assembly to elect a new President.
Article
9
The Board
shall designate among its members the Treasurer, who shall be in charge
of the preparation of the financial statements and shall have, like the
President, banking signature powers.
Article
10
In furtherance
of the ideal to link the present – day Chaîne to the Rôtisseurs
guild of the Middle Ages, the President and the Treasurer shall bear vis-à-vis
the members of the Chaîne, the titles of "Grand Chancelier"
and "Grand Argentier" respectively. The honorary title of "Grand
Maître" corresponding to the highest distinction within the
Chaîne, may only be granted to a former Grand Chancelier or any
other person having made an exceptional contribution to the Chaîne.
Article
11
11.01 The
Conseil Magistral is composed of all the Directors and of non-Director
members of the Chaîne, provided the number of non-Directors shall
in no event exceed 50.
11.02 The
non-Director members of the Conseil Magistral are elected every year by
the General Assembly upon Board proposal. This decision of the General
Assembly shall be guided by the objective to secure, to the extent possible,
a representation of the National Bailliages on the Conseil Magistral which
takes into account, inter alia, the number of members of each Bailliage.
This decision may also aim at involving in the decision-making of the
Chaîne, regardless of any link with any particular National Bailliage,
members whose contribution justifies their membership on the Conseil Magistral.
Members of the Conseil Magistral maybe reelected without limitation.
11.03 In
addition to its participation in any decision that may lead to a modification
of the by-laws, as provided for in Article 13 below the responsibilities
of the Conseil Magistral are as follows:
1. decide,
upon proposal of at least 20 members or of the Board of Directors, any
modification of the "règlement intérieur";
2. decide, upon proposal of at least 20 members or of the Board of Directors,
which members shall be appointed to the Conseil d'Honneur;
3. review the draft resolutions to be submitted to the General Assembly
and make a recommendation as to whether the resolutions should be adopted
or not; it being understood that this recommendation shall be read at
the General Assembly;
4. make recommendations regarding any question relating to the activities
of the Chaîne;
5. decide upon any matter which the Board of Directors may have submitted
to the Conseil Magistral.
11.04 Conseil
Magistral meetings are called by the Board or by 20 members of the Conseil
Magistral, at any place in France set forth in the notice of meeting.
The notice of the meeting must reach members at least 30 days prior to
the meeting. Meetings must be held at least once a year If no meeting
is held for more than 18 consecutive months, any member of the Conseil
Magistral may call a meeting.
11.05 The
President presides over meetings of the Conseil Magistral. If the President
does not attend a meeting, the members physically attending the meeting
shall designate the chairman of the meeting among themselves by a vote
by show of hands in which proxies shall not be taken into account.
11.06 No
decisions maybe made by the Conseil Magistral outside the scope of the
agenda.
11.07 Furthermore,
the Conseil Magistral can make no valid decision without at least 50%
of its members attending the meeting, in person or by proxy A member of
the Conseil Magistral may represent one or several other members. Proxies
may be given in any written form, including by telex or facsimile.
11.08 All
decisions shall be adopted by a majority vote of those members present
or represented at the meeting. In case of a tie vote, the decision shall
rest with the President.
Article
12
Conseil d'Honneur
members shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Article
11.03 (b) above. They will have to decide upon any matter which may be
submitted to them by the Board of Directors.
Article
13
13.01 All
members of the Chaîne have access to the General Assembly regardless
of the National Bailliage to which they belong.
13.02 The
General Assembly has exclusive responsibility to approve the financial
statements, designate the members of the Conseil Magistral (subject to
the provisions of 7.06 above,), designate statutory auditors and modify
We by-Jaws (except for a change of address of the principal office). 13.02
The General Assembly is called by the Board, at anyplace in France determined
by the Board. Members must receive notice of the meeting at least 2 months
in advance. Meetings must be held at least once a year. If no meeting
is held for more than 18 consecutive months, any Director may call a General
Assembly.
13.03 The
General Assembly is presided over by the President. In his absence, the
members of the Conseil Magistral physically attending the meeting shall
designate the chairman of the meeting among themselves by a vote by show
of hands in which proxies shall not be taken into account.
13.04 The
General Assembly may only act upon the agenda contained in the notice
of meeting.
13.05 Draft
resolutions prepared by the Board (or by any member of the Chaîne,
as provided for in Article 13.06 below) shall be communicated to the Members
of the Conseil Magistral so that they are received at least 30 days before
the General Assembly.
13.06 Any
member of the Chaîne may propose resolutions. To be considered,
such resolutions must, however (I) be communicated to the Board at least
35 days before the date of the General Assembly and – 'ii –
have been approved by at least 3 members of the Conseil Magistral.
13.07 Each
member of the Chaîne may be represented by proxy at the General
Assembly any other member of the Chaîne. There is no limit as to
the number of proxies one member can hold for meetings of the General
Assembly.
13.08 For
decisions not resulting in a modification of the by-laws, no quorum is
required. Resolutions may be adopted by a majority of those members present
or represented at the meeting.
13.09 Any
decision resulting in a modification of the by-laws must, before being
submitted to a vote of the General Assembly be approved by the Conseil
Magistral, which will decide thereon by a two-thirds majority of the members
present or represented, provided the quorum requirement set out in Article
11.07 is met. Once this first test is passed, the resolution may be submitted
to the General Assembly which may only validly act provided that (i) the
decision of the Conseil Magistral was not made more than one year prior
to the date of the General Assembly and (ii) at least 2,000 members are
present, either in person or by proxy The resolution shall be adopted
by a two-thirds majority of those members present or represented at the
General Assembly.
Article
14
The oath
of the Rôtisseurs:
"Je
fais le serment de ne jamais profaner et de toujours soigner un rôti
à broche ainsi que les grillades. Je Iàis le serment de
toujours remplir mon devoir de fraternité et de respect envers
tous les membres de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs."
"I pledge
that, as a member of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, I will at all
times honour the art of cuisine and the culture of the table. I pledge
to always fulfil my obligations of brotherhood and of respect for my fellow
members of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs."
Article
15
The following
matters fall within the scope of the "règlement intérieur."
1. rules
of admission of new members;
2. appointments and promotions;
3. inductions;
4. diplomas;
5. termination of membership;
6. titles, grades, insignia;
rules applicable
to professional members.
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