When Shawn Ming became a culinary instructor at the Bermuda College's Department of Hotel Technology just last month, he was not only following in his father's footsteps, but was the fourth member of his family to join the teaching profession.

Father, of course, is Frederick Ming, arguably Bermuda's best known chef who has also been responsible for the training of hundreds of young people in the culinary arts. His mother is Charlotte Ming, recently appointed principal at the new Clearwater Middle School, while his sister, Tamara, 23, is an education therapist assistant, helping children with behavioural problems at Spice Valley Middle School.

Mr. and Mrs. Ming both feel that the concept of middle schools is a sound one.

"I think it helps children who would otherwise fall through the cracks,'' explains Mrs. Ming. "Having taught at all age levels, I know what comes before, and what comes after, so I am well equipped to see that the students in my care receive what they need to go on to secondary school.

"We have an advisory period first thing every day and children are able to bond with their advisor or teacher and that helps them with all aspects of life and sets the standard for the day.'' Both feel this personal involvement could be utilised at the secondary level.

"It could be worked out so easily, with each teacher assigned a certain number of students. You only need half an hour for bonding and caring!'' Mr. Ming believes that, in the past, the personal relationship between teacher and pupil in primary school tends to fall apart in the metamorphosis of secondary school life. "They have tended to just let them get on with it but I think we need that sense of continuity. Parents are not supporting teachers as they used to.'' "Yes,'' agrees Mrs. Ming. "Parents need to work alongside the teachers Most of them do, but there are a few who think the teacher is `picking' on their child. Parents need to start training their children from Day One!'' Mr. Ming, who is now the Department Chair and lecturer on Food Preparation at the College, also feels that too many fathers are failing to carry out their roles within the family.

"It's so often left to the woman,'' he says. "There is no leadership. With both parents usually working, they don't spend enough time with their children who are often left without supervision. In talking with my students I found people don't get together at the dinner table to talk as they used to -- they tend to go off to their own rooms.'' Mr. Ming, who admits he is gratified that his son chose the same career as him, points out that Shawn is only the second Bermudian teacher in the field (he was the first). The stigma that seemed to deter locals from lecturing in cookery as a career in the past, he says, has now largely disappeared: "I think all the TV programmes featuring male chefs has helped! I think there used to be a perception that it was a lady's thing! We now have 100 students enrolled in the first and second year courses here and I'm feeling much more encouraged.'' "We have had to make sacrifices, as a family,'' says Mrs. Ming. "When I went to Miami University in Ohio to do my Bachelor's and then my Masters in education administration, I took Tamara and had to leave Shawn with his father.'' Before that, Mrs. Ming had obtained her teaching certificate from Ottawa Teachers College and also obtained a diploma in child development from London University. "That was when my husband went to England to further his education,'' she explains. As a teacher, she spent 14 years at West Pembroke Primary School, going on to become a resource teacher for the Department of Education.

"Then I decided I would like my own school so that I could use my leadership qualities.'' This she achieved at Harrington Sound Primary School where she was principal for nine years before spending three years working with teenagers at St. George's Secondary School.

Fred Ming's interest in catering was developed when he worked on the Queen of Bermuda in the 1960s, followed by a course in chef management at the Culinary Institute of America. After completing three years at Bermuda's Department of Hotel Technology, he worked at the famous Savoy Hotel in London before enrolling at Ealing Technical College where he obtained his City and Guilds degree.

The Ming family is obviously close-knit. Mrs. Ming says she and Tamara love to talk about their respective, new middle schools when they come home each day.

"Then my husband and son arrive and we are all able to talk about things.

It's a great feeling.'' Admitting it feels as if her three children were "born yesterday'', she says she is excited that two of them have chosen the field of teaching: "All the effort you put in finally comes to fruition.'' Not all of them are teachers, however. "Our eldest son, Robert, lives with his wife Kettia in New York, where he is a successful fashion designer.'' Tamara, who attended Mount St. Vincent University in Canada, says she has always been interested in education issues. "I grew up in that environment, so I guess it was my destiny!'' Having taken her degree in psychology, however, she decided that instead of teaching, she opted to train as a behavioural therapist. "I help coordinate strategies for ten to 14-year olds.

It's very important that I bond with the kids and I try to eat lunch with them so that I can sit down and have little talks with them.'' She explains students are encouraged to bond with at least one adult.

At Acadia University in Canada, Shawn took his degree in Biology, spending each summer working as a chef at BAS. "But it was some time before I thought of doing it as a career.'' After graduating, he worked there for two years before heading off to the Culinary Institute of America for a two-year course.

On his return to Bermuda, he gained invaluable experience at the Southampton Princess before taking up his post at the college. "I can boast one full month here!'' And who does the cooking in the Ming household? Not Mrs. Ming, as it turns out. "I only cook once in a blue moon. Fred cooks when we entertain, otherwise they all help out. I tell Shawn and Tamara I want to smell somthing cooking when I come home. I think I did my share of cooking and baking when the children were small!''