Peter Palumbo, a familiar face in Dorchester’s restaurant scene after 15 years in the kitchen at Venezia’s in Port Norfolk, has taken his talents to a new hot spot: The Industry in Adams Corner. It’s a big boost for the Adams Street bar and eatery, which opened to rave reviews last year and has re-tooled its menu under Palumbo’s direction over the last month.

For Palumbo, it’s a slightly smaller and still-emerging operation that allows him to get back to his first passion: cooking.

“I’ve simplified the menu a little. We do everything from scratch with all-natural ingredients,” explains Palumbo. “I want to try to be consistent. I don’t believe in trendy stuff. Trends go away.”

Palumbo has added a few new items to the menu, including a seafood chowder that is the talk of the village. Also new: a classic chicken parmesan— a reasonably priced, popular menu item that was missing from the original offerings at The Industry.

The move comes as the restaurant seeks to expand its lunch-time clientele while building on what has already been a reliable dinner crowd, particularly on the weekends. Palumbo, who can walk to work from his home of the last decade in Dorchester, knows that the neighborhood still has a working-class base of families. He wants to see them in The Industry for more than just special occasions.

“Pretty much everything that they’ve been doing, they’ve done well. It’s a beautiful space, the chicken was great. The steaks were great. The pizza oven was a bit underutilized. We want to be busy every night of the week, not just on date night or an anniversary,” he said.

One thing that definitely will not change on Palumbo’s watch: The Industry’s amazing $5 menu for kids — which includes dessert — and for adults, cocktails fashioned by the head bartender, Donna Gillespie, whose offerings have grown to include seasonal favorites and a new cider-infused drink named for the restaurant’s original manager Martin Davis, who died last summer.

What has changed? In addition to the show-stopping chowder and the chicken parm, Palumbo has worked up a wider selection of traditional pizzas with toppings like buffalo chicken and brie and mushroom. He has added an Irish chicken curry and a Shepherd’s pie, a nod to the area’s deep Celtic roots. The “tomahawk” steak that was The Industry’s early claim-to-fame (and priciest menu item) has been supplanted by more moderately priced cuts, like a $29 New York strip and steak tips, ($21).

The lunch menu (which is available for delivery through GrubHub) includes even more reasonably priced salads, sandwiches and favorites like Mac and Cheese and Chicken al Forno. For eat-in lunch customers, Palumbo’s $12 express lunch specials are a great deal: entrees (think chicken penne and broccoli and fresh scrod) include a cup of soup or side salad in the price. A $3 beer special— featuring Jack’s Abby, Newburyport, and Mayflower pours—is also on offer Monday through Friday.

Palumbo has also introduced a new Monday night pasta special to lure out diners on what is typically a sleepier night of the week. The same beer specials can be had with entrée deals starting at $17 with a side Caesar salad.

After 15 years of managing the Venezia’s larger kitchen and waitstaff — which grew even bigger at times for special functions— The Industry’s more modest size appealed to Palumbo, who has worked as a chef in the Caribbean and at the Shawmut Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine— dubbed the “summer White House” for its association with the Bush family.

Venezia “was a great experience working for a nice family,” says Palumbo. But, he’s clearly grooving in his new environs less than a mile away.

“We want to make it easy for people to visit you multiple times. People in this neighborhood work hard for their money. And we want to be more neighborhood, family-oriented,” he said.

The Industry is located at 750 Adams St., Dorchester. For reservations call 617-297-9010.