Front Street fixture the Smokin’ Barrel is going back to the future with a return to its original menu.

The bright red food truck, stationed next to the Ferry Terminal, will also get a makeover, with a new paint job.

Smokin’ Barrel owner Kemar Maybury said the recent Texas-inspired barbecue menu created by US chef Dick Reno had been dropped in favour of a return to the original focus of Caribbean-style jerk chicken, short ribs and burgers.

Mr Maybury added: “Next Friday, the barrel will be smoking for sure.

“People want the jerk, the burgers and if that’s what people want, we have to give it to them. The Texas thing is fine for a one off, but not for every day.”

Mr Maybury said Mr Reno would move over to the outside catering side of the business, where his distinctive south-western US flavours would still be available.

He added that the original menu at Smokin’ Barrel had been stripped down to the classics.

“We had a fairly large menu in the beginning, but we’re going to focus on what people want most and concern ourselves with consistency and quality rather than having a huge menu.

“People were used to the smell of jerk cooking — that’s what drew them in. We want to get the smoke going again and getting people to smell that jerk cooking in the morning. It’s the best marketing there is.”

Mr Maybury, who has a young son, Khaleel, stepped back from a hands-on role at Smokin’ Barrel for some time after the tragic death of wife Latifa in 2013 from cancer aged just 30 and only six months after their son was born.

He said: “It was best to step away from the business. If you’re in the food business it’s very demanding and you don’t have as much time as when you’re working a nine-to-five job when you have kids.”

But he added that, although he would play a part in the business, he planned to spend less time in the kitchen.

“I want to bring back a lot of the older staff I had before. I also want to bring on new people — there are a lot of young Bermudians out there and I want them to have a stage to shine on.”

Smokin’ Barrel will feature new gourmet burgers, created for the firm by wholesale distributors BGA.

“They have an excellent meat programme over there and a new butcher room that they’ve spent a lot of money on. They’re going to create a signature burger for us from a top round and short rib mix. They’ll be able to process our meat and provide us with the best pricing as well.”

But the initial focus of the redone menu will be traditional jerk chicken.

And he added that a percentage of the proceeds from all jerk sales would go to help cancer charities or families that have been affected by the disease in memory of Latifa.

Other items, like pulled jerk and pulled beef sandwiches, would be introduced over time.

The sides menu has also been given a makeover, with baked instead of fried fries, more salad options and grilled vegetables as healthier eating options.

Mr Maybury said that the America’s Cup in May and June, where Front Street will be a major focus, meant the business would have to relocate on a temporary basis to allow the area to be used for Cup events.

“We want to stay in the same vicinity. The Corporation of Hamilton have been very receptive to sitting down and working with us to find a mutually agreeable solution.

The Smokin’ Barrel will be open during the day for lunch and in the evenings, with extended opening hours until 3am at peak times, such as weekends.

“We want to target the hours where there is volume. Bermuda is a high expense place to operate.”