James Cochran leaves Islington pub after just four months

James Cochran will be stepping down from his role as executive chef of newly-opened North London gastropub The Brave.

 

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Cochran rose to fame in the London dining scene with his acclaimed restaurant 12:51, which opened in 2018 and closed last summer. At the time of the closure, the question on everyone's lips was what the chef would do next. Later in 2024, it seemed that this had been answered when it was announced in November that he would be collaborating with pub operator Seven-Eighths Group to open a new pub on Essex Street, with the ex-Ledbury and ex-Harwood Arms overseeing the menu, which features dishes including beef shin nuggets, Scottish razor clam ceviche and Cochran's famous fried chicken. However, after only a matter of months, Cochran will be moving on from The Brave. "I want to thank the team at The Brave for allowing me the opportunity to create and develop the food menu for the relaunch of the pub, it's been a ride, but it's time for me to move on to other projects I have in the pipeline," he said in a statement, before sharing that he would reveal his future plans shortly. db has been told that no further comment will be issued at present. Seven-Eighths Group’s Michael Butt, who said that The Brave would be “the culinary jewel in the crown for the group”, which also includes East London's The Hemingway and Hunter S, when Cochran arrived, thanked the chef for his "contribution to the pub relaunch project".