ICGA · IUOAMC
Culinary and gastronomy judging
This reference explains ICGA judge accreditation within the International Union of Arab Master Chefs: selecting a category and discipline, examination, review and verifiable credentials.
What is culinary judging?
Culinary judging is a structured professional evaluation of performance and products in culinary and gastronomy competitions, based on published criteria and documented evidence. It requires separating observations from opinions, consistent use of assessment sheets, reasoned outcomes and management of conflicts of interest. Duties remain within the approved discipline and written appointment.
Judge accreditation categories
The category defines responsibility, the discipline identifies demonstrated competence, and a written appointment defines the actual assignment. A is the highest professional examination category, followed by B, C and D. S is a separate institutional capacity reserved for the Founder & President.
Category A
Jury chair and governance expert: the highest category, leading the judging system, auditing procedural consistency, managing risk and coordinating independent result and appeal reviews under a written appointment. The category does not permit overriding rules, unilateral unreviewable decisions or issuing accreditation without institutional delegation.
Explore this category ↗Category B
Senior judge and technical-panel lead: leads assessment in the approved discipline, calibrates judges, allocates tasks, reviews scoring differences and submits recommendations. Leadership requires a written appointment; it does not include issuing accreditations or reviewing appeals against personal decisions.
Explore this category ↗Category C
Practising judge: performs independent technical and sensory assessment within the discipline recorded in the accreditation decision, documents scores and participates in moderation. Category alone does not authorise panel chairing or reviewing an appeal against the judge's own decision.
Explore this category ↗Category D
Assistant judge: observes, records evidence and applies the rubric within an approved technical discipline under a higher-category judge. Does not chair a panel or independently ratify final results.
Explore this category ↗How does judge accreditation work?
- Submit an application linked to the holder’s account, choose categories and disciplines, and provide professional evidence.
- Complete eligibility, identity and requested-document review.
- Verify fee payment or an explicit authorised presidential waiver.
- Take the category examination in the chosen language, with saved answers and reasoning.
- Complete competency, critical-case and ambiguity-report review, then publish the result.
- Record the accreditation decision, scope and validity before issuing a card, certificate and verification reference.
Technical judging disciplines
Applicants select disciplines supported by evidence of competence. Approved disciplines are recorded in the accreditation decision and are not inferred from a job title or card colour.
- Hot kitchen
- Pastry
- Bakery
- Cold kitchen
- Sensory evaluation
- Restaurant evaluation
Examination and review
Each category has a separate 40-question examination, with five questions per page, available in Arabic, English and French. Four critical cases require written reasoning. Applicants must meet their category threshold, answer at least three critical cases correctly and complete reasoning review. Payment alone does not confer accreditation.
Accreditation regulations ↗Questions about culinary judge accreditation
Is a membership number a judge accreditation number?
No. Membership and judging identifiers and validity are separate. Check the state and dates of each record in the verification service.
Can an applicant start without payment?
The server must verify payment or a recorded waiver from the authorised presidential account. An unreviewed receipt or examination link does not grant access.
Does an automated pass immediately issue a certificate?
The automated outcome is preliminary. Competence, reasoning, disciplines and documents are reviewed before a decision and credential issuance.
How do I verify a judge or document?
Use the current judge directory or search by judge ID in the verification service. A document’s QR code and digital reference identify its current status.
Is S a promotion after A?
No. S is an exclusive institutional capacity for the Founder & President, separate from the A–D professional examination pathway and unavailable for public applications.
Institutional reference: ICGA within IUOAMC. · ICGA-JA-2026.1