The former 12:51 chef relaunched the Essex Road pub - previously the Engle Field - in December as executive chef.
According to The Brave’s representatives Cochran is moving on ‘to explore further creative hospitality projects and personal commitments’.
“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,” Cochran says.
Michael Butt, who is overseeing The Brave relaunch project for Seven-Eighths Group, adds: “We would like to thank James for his contribution to the pub relaunch project, and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Described as ‘a fresh take on the British pub’, The Brave’s launch menu was designed to reflect Cochran’s culinary career, which includes stints at The Ledbury and The Harwood Arms, and his mixed Scottish-Caribbean family heritage.
Dishes currently include a jerk spiced chicken scotch egg with scotch bonnet jam; Scottish razor clam ceviche with quince, bacon and pine nut; coal roasted Harrietsham leeks with confit onion and truffle hollandaise; and a sharing plate of roast haunch of Aynhoe venison with venison sausage, slow braised venison pie, neep and tattie hash browns, xo sauce, grilled hispi cabbage, roast onions and chicory salad.
Cochran announced last April that he would be closing 12:51, which he launched on Upper Street in 2018 in the space that was once home to Chinese Laundry, but didn’t give any reason for the decision.
