Have you ever had a meal fill you up physically and spiritually?
Well, Dine Wilder, an exclusive roaming restaurant for women, has set out to do just that.
Emily Shimwell, one half of the duo behind Graze Wilder—a Squamish-based charcuterie business she runs with her best friend Rosie Stephens—launched Dine Wilder in September and has since connected dozens of women with her unique dining experience.
“All the time that we've been doing Graze Wilder, which is nearly four years now, Rosie has always said to me, you need another arm of this, or a separate business that is about bringing people together,” Shimwell said.
“I've got two little ones, and so I'm constantly invited to for drinks on an evening, and it's really hard to get out when you've put your kids in bed. But then I would go and sit at the table thinking, this is such an effort to push, and the conversations aren't really filling my cup.”
As a way to combat this, Shimwell came up with the idea of hosting an event with a guest speaker and conversational prompts that would help “foster intentional conversations” with strangers.
“Everyone I walked past in the street, I said, I'm going to do this thing on Sept. 8, in my garden. It's $85, I don't know what it is, I don't know what I'm giving you, but it's 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., and these are the feelings you’ll leave with,” she said.
Fast forward to the event, and she had a long table covered with beautiful food under a willow tree in her back garden and 28 diners ready to experience the unknown.
“It was actually so magical,” she said.
Since then, Dine Wilder has grown at a rapid speed.
“I said we'll do one in September, and then I'll probably do one in the spring next year. Fast forward three months, and we've done five dinners, and now I've got the full year mapped out for next year in Whistler, Squamish, North Van, West Van and Vancouver,” she said.
What does a dining experience look like?
Described by diners as a roaming restaurant or a dinner retreat, the Dine Wilder events are set up at a different location, each with a new theme based on a feeling.
“So, we've had intent, abundance and joy, [and coming up] we're going to do, confidence, and grief,” she said.
“There's a dress code that fits the feeling, which I love because there's not many places in Squamish that warrant getting really dressed up.
“It's not actually a black tie or a dress or suit; it's a feeling. So, if you feel the most elegant in your jeans, come in your jeans; it doesn't need to be a dress. But if you happen to have this amazing ball gown that also makes you feel elegant, come in that.”
The dinners feature a three-course menu, with appetizers organized by Graze Wilder and both main and desserts prepared by a chef or catering company.
A guest speaker helps to keep the conversation flowing between prompts that aim to foster relationships and gain inspiration and motivation from one another.
Typically, the long table dinners can seat up to 36 people, but Shimwell said she tries to vary the numbers depending on the topic and location.
Exclusivity
While she describes the dining experience as exclusive, Shimell said she doesn’t want people to think the event is “excluding”—instead, welcoming women from all walks of life to dine at the table.
“I know it's a high price point; the tickets are $180, it's a lot of money,” she said.
“People have messaged me to say it's out of their price range, and I've said, 'Come and pay what you can afterwards.’ People can pay what they think it was worth or pay in full, and if they don't think it's worth it, I'll give them a refund.”
Her main hope for Dine Wilder is that people leave feeling fulfilled.
“The purpose of it is that you leave feeling fulfilled in whatever role it is that you're playing at the moment, and you're the most full version of yourself in that role,” she said.
By connecting with other women, either in similar or different places in life, she hopes it can allow diners to “see their natural strengths” and have the confidence to back themselves.
As for what the future looks like, Shimwell has big goals.
“I want it to be the most exclusive roaming women's dinner series in North America,” she said.
“I know that sounds so far-fetched … but I can see that’s what it can be.”
The next Dine Wilder event is on Jan. 24 and has a theme of Energy.
To buy tickets, visit the Dine Wilder website.
Squamish food beat is a special series that features new eateries or unique offerings from local food-based entrepreneurs. To be considered for this series, email [email protected].
