This paper presents the design of and L-1 adaptive controller for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of a small variable speed wind energy conversion system (WECS). The proposed controller generates the optimal torque command for the vector-controlled generator-side converter based on the wind speed estimation. The proposed MPPT control algorithm has a generic structure and can be used for different generator types. In order to verify the efficacy of the proposed L-1 adaptive controller for the MPPT of the WECS, a full converter wind turbine with a squirrel cage induction generator is used to carry out case studies using MATLAB/Simulink. The case study results show that the designed L-1 adaptive controller has good tracking performance even with unmodeled dynamics and in the presence of parameter uncertainties and unknown disturbances.