Bellingham Mourns Cole Strickland, Beloved Cook and Elk St. and Redlight Colleague

 Cole Strickland, a beloved member of the Elk St. and Redlight restaurant family in Bellingham, Washington, died unexpectedly at his home Friday, September 25, leaving family, friends, and colleagues mourning a person remembered for his kindness, humility, and talent in the kitchen. His death has affected the people who worked alongside him and those who knew him beyond the restaurants. For them, the loss is not simply the absence of a coworker, but the loss of a friend and member of their community. His death has left the restaurant family confronting a sudden absence.

According to a message shared by the owners of Elk St. and Redlight, Strickland joined the team in summer 2023 to help open Redlight on Grand Avenue. He became an important part of the kitchen, bringing steadiness, respect, kindness, and humility. His work helped the new restaurant establish its operations, while his colleagues remembered the way he contributed to its early culture. Colleagues also valued the calm and considerate way he approached the people around him.

Strickland spent approximately two years at Redlight before moving to Elk St. when that restaurant opened the following summer. He helped establish kitchen operations and became part of the daily rhythm shared by employees. Colleagues described him as an exceptional cook, but their tributes placed equal emphasis on qualities that could not be measured by a menu or position. His humility and caring nature made him someone people came to value. That combination of skill and character helped make him a memorable presence at both restaurants.

The owners’ message portrayed Strickland as a person whose influence reached well beyond his professional abilities. For Elk St. and Redlight, his presence became part of the workplace relationships that developed among employees. His colleagues are now grieving someone they considered a friend, while his family mourns a beloved son and brother whose absence will be felt in ways no workplace can replace. The loss is being felt personally by those who worked with him.

The suddenness of Strickland’s death has also prompted reflection among those who knew him. His colleagues encouraged people to tell the people they love that they care about them and are available for them, a message shaped by how profoundly his death affected the restaurant family. The message is also a reminder that expressing appreciation can matter deeply. It shows how his life continues to influence the people around him through the feelings and lessons his memory has left behind.

Strickland’s family has asked people who are willing and able to support a campaign established in his name benefiting NAMI Whatcom. The campaign offers a way for people who want to honor his memory to contribute to an organization connected to mental health advocacy and support. The request adds another dimension to the remembrance of Strickland, allowing his name to remain connected not only to the restaurants and friendships he helped shape, but also to a cause his loved ones chose to support.

At Elk St. and Redlight, Strickland’s absence will be felt in kitchens, conversations, friendships, and the routines he once shared with coworkers. His colleagues remembered an exceptional cook, but more importantly, a caring and humble person whose presence brought humanity to those around him. His family and restaurant colleagues carry memories of his life and relationships. Cole Strickland’s memory will remain part of the restaurant community he helped build and the people who came to love him. The stories they tell about him can continue to preserve the qualities they admired: care, humility, talent, and friendship.