Réunion Des Gastronomes
The Name of the Society shall be the “Réunion Des Gastronomes”.

Objects

(a) To develop and support the role of Gastronomy principally by its social reunions and the exchange of ideas and opinions to benefit of the Industry.
(b) To promote and encourage good food and beverage service within the Industry at all levels and gain wider recognition and appreciation for the role of Gastronomy.

Membership

Membership of the Society is restricted to Proprietors, Senior Executives and Senior Managers who have a proven record in the provision of professional high quality food and beverage services.
Total Membership of the Society is limited to 200 Members (comprising all categories)

Members shall be categorized as follows:

(i) A TOWN MEMBER shall be one whose normal place of business is within the M25 boundary of London.
(ii) A COUNTRY MEMBER shall be one whose normal place of business is outside the M25 boundary of London.
(iii) An OVERSEAS MEMBER shall be one who is resident outside Great Britain for more than nine months in any Society year.

RETIRED MEMBERS

Those Members having previously been elected, who have reached the minimum age of 65 and who have retired from full time employment may elect to change to this category on written application to the Committee.

LIFE MEMBERS

Those Members who in the opinion of the Committee have rendered such services to the Society as to merit appointment as Life Members exempt from payment of subscription.

HONORARY MEMBERS

Those persons who in the opinion of the Committee have rendered such services to the Society as to merit appointment as Honorary Members exempt from payment of subscription.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

Open to aspiring Proprietors, Senior Executives and Senior Managers who are on a career path in the provision of high quality food and beverage services. Total number of Associate Members is limited to 20% of the total membership.

AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP

Open to hospitality professionals at Proprietor, Senior Executive and Senior Manager levels who are not directly involved in the provision of high quality food and beverage services but are employed in establishments/organisations that do provide these services. The total number of Affiliate Members is limited to 10% of the total membership.

Affiliate Membership and Association Membership are subject to biennial revue. Affiliate Membership and Associate Membership do not confer voting rights and these members may not serve as officers of the Réunion.

Election

a) Every candidate for membership shall be proposed and seconded by Members to whom the applicant has been known personally for not less than three years and these Members shall be deemed responsible for the eligibility of the said candidate.
b) The candidate should be introduced to the Officers of the Society by the proposer and seconder at an event/supper prior to the application being considered by the Committee.
c) The application for the candidate shall then be sent in writing on the form provided by the Committee, to the Secretary duly signed by the proposer, seconder and candidate.
d) The Committee will consider applications for Membership at its monthly meetings. An application will be approved by a majority vote of the Committee.
e) The Committee shall have absolute discretion to verify and determine the category of membership relevant to each Member.

Subscriptions

a) Subscriptions shall be payable on the 1st January each year and shall be of such amount as the Committee shall determine.
b) A candidate shall, on being admitted to membership, pay a joining fee equivalent to one year’s subscription for a town member in addition to the subscription for the year of joining.
c) In the event of a Member joining the Society on or after 1st October in any year, the subscription then paid shall be valid until 31st December the following year.
d) A Member’s status as at 1st January in any year will determine the applicable membership category for the remainder of that year.
e) RESIGNATION. A Member who desires to resign shall notify the Secretary in writing and shall not be entitled to any refund of subscription monies.
f) DEFAULT. Members, whose subscriptions remain unpaid on 1st May, may be struck out of membership at the discretion of the Committee unless they satisfy the Committee that there was good cause for delay and then make prompt payment.

Management

a) Shall be vested in the Committee who shall have full executive power to conduct all business of the Society.
b) The Committee shall consist of the following Officers:-
a. President
b. Vice President
c. General Secretary
d. Honorary Treasurer
e. Honorary Almoner
And not more than a further 10 Committee Members with a minimum of 6.
c) The Officers and members of the Committee shall be elected by the Annual General Meeting each year and, when qualified, are eligible for re-election.
d) The President and Vice-President to be elected must have been a Committee member for at least one term of three years and may be chosen from any Committee member who satisfies this criterion.
e) A maximum of 3 Past Presidents may attend any Committee meeting and this will be arranged on an informal basis between them. They will be entitled to vote at those meetings.
f) Committee Members shall retire after three years’ service (a ‘term’) but shall be eligible for re-election by the Annual General Meeting.
g) Committee Members may serve three consecutive terms of office but shall then retire and shall not be eligible for re-election to the Committee for a further term (three years).
h) Nominations for election as Members of the Committee, which must be proposed and seconded, must reach the Secretary not less than 21 days before the Annual General Meeting.

Committee

a) The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies on the Committee arising during any year, but the election of such Committee Members will be subject to the normal procedure at the next Annual General Meeting.
b) Members of the Committee who fail to attend at least 50% of the Committee meetings in any year, without good cause, shall not continue on the Committee.
c) The Committee may remove any Members of the Society from membership by a resolution carried by two-thirds or more of those present and voting at a Committee meeting.
d) The Committee shall act under 7(c) when satisfied that the conduct of any Member of the Society is inconsistent with the objective and well-being of the Réunion or injurious to the interests of the profession.
e) The Committee shall have power to elect Life and Honorary Members.
f) The Committee may appoint such Sub-Committees from amongst its own members as it shall deem fit, with power to co-opt such person or persons as it may consider desirable and such sub-Committees will be chaired by a main committee member.
g) Committee meetings will be chaired by the President or in his absence the Vice President. In the case of neither being available then by a Committee member chosen by mutual consent of those present.

Meetings

a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held in each year in the month of March, or at other such times as the Committee may decide, and shall be chaired by the President or in his absence the Vice-President.
b) Committee meetings shall normally take place in advance of the Monthly Suppers and at such other times as the affairs of the Society make it necessary.
c) The Committee shall arrange meetings, events and suppers for Members on such dates as may be convenient and normally on no less than 10 (ten) occasions in the year.

Quorum

a) Annual General Meeting – 10 Members.
b) Committee Meeting – 5 Members.
Charges For Monthly Suppers
Charges for monthly suppers payable in advance of the meeting shall be such an amount as the Committee may decide.

Guests

Members may bring guests to events and suppers, mentioned in 8(c) in accordance with the guidelines attached herewith as Appendix 1.

Membership

a) A Membership badge is issued to all new Members and should be worn at all meetings.
b) Members failing to wear badges may, at the discretion of the President, be asked by the Treasurer to contribute to a charity of the President’s choice.
c) On membership ceasing for any reason, badges should be returned to the Society.

Alterations To Rules

a) Rules may be altered, or added to, only at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose.
b) 21 clear days’ notice of any proposed alterations or additions shall be sent by the Committee to every Member stating the place and time of the meeting at which they will be proposed.
c) Any alteration or addition to Rules to be effective must be carried by at least two-thirds of those voting personally or by proxy at such Extraordinary General Meeting.
d) Members desiring to propose changes in the Rules shall give 14 clear days’ notice in writing of their proposal to the Committee.
e) If a two-thirds majority of the Committee shall approve their proposal, then the Committee shall arrange for submission of such proposals to an appropriate meeting under Rule 13(b).
f) An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called on the demand in writing of Members representing not less than one-tenth of the total membership.

Proxies

Members desiring to vote by proxy at Annual General Meetings or at Extraordinary General Meetings shall nominate a proxy and submit this name in writing to the Secretary.
Each Member (including Retired and Life Honorary members) has one vote.
In the event of equal votes being cast the Chairman, of any meeting, has a second and casting vote.

Data Protection

The Réunion des Gastronomes will process information provided by its Members during the course of application and the duration of membership, and this information will be used only for the administration of the Society and for the organization of events and meetings held by the Réunion. Members agree that the Society may hold computer records and such personal information for the above purposes.
Members are entitled to view personal data held about them by the Society on computer and in manual records to have any inaccuracy corrected. This request should be in writing, and arrangements will be made for the Member to view the records, or if more appropriate to receive copies, within 14 days of receipt of the request.

Under no circumstances may a Member of the Réunion make use of such information held by the Society for any commercial purpose or personal gain.