Meet Emily Shimwell, founder of Dine Wilder and the woman behind some of the most talked about long-table dinners in the Sea to Sky corridor. What started as a simple dinner series has grown into a full community built on connection, built around gatherings, retreats, and her signature annual event, FEAST, happening in Squamish this October. Emily is a mom of two boys, a storyteller, and someone who believes life is better when we stop rushing and sit down at the table together.

In this Q&A, Emily shares how Dine Wilder came to life, what home looks like with two little boys underfoot, and what motherhood has taught her about showing up as her full, imperfect self.

Describe your business or career role.

I’m a lifelong gatherer of humans, a storyteller, and the founder of Dine Wilder, a company born from a simple belief: life is better when we stop rushing through it and start sitting around the table together.

What began as a long-table dinner series has evolved into a movement. I’m wildly passionate about championing small business owners, creating opportunities for collaboration, and connecting people who may never have crossed paths otherwise.

Now, 22 months in, with a newly launched online membership called The Room, Dine Wilder has grown into a community built around dinners, retreats, panels, and FEAST, my signature gathering in Squamish on October 25th. It’s an experience unlike anything you’ve likely attended before, combining the inspiration of a conference with the warmth and connection of a dinner party. Food for the mind, celebrating ambition, storytelling, and the magic that happens when the right people are in the same room.

I’ve built my life and my business around one belief: the magic happens when we lean into the unknown, jump before we’re ready, and move with our hearts more than our heads. Less logic, more action. Less waiting for the perfect moment, more trusting ourselves enough to create it.

 

What makes you a Vancouver Mom to follow?

I think what sets me apart is that I’m constantly choosing the less obvious path.

I’m a mom of two boys, a founder, a storyteller, and someone who has built a life around saying “why not?” more often than “why me?” I’ve never been particularly interested in fitting into a neat little box. I believe we can be ambitious and deeply present, creative and practical, a mother and a woman with dreams that exist outside of motherhood.

I’m passionate about showing up as my full, imperfect self with overflowing childlike excitement, and reminding other women that they don’t have to shrink themselves to create a beautiful life. Whether I’m gathering hundreds of people around a table, cheering on another small business owner, or doing school drop-off in a pair of heels while dreaming up my next wild idea, I hope to inspire others to trust themselves, take the leap, and create a life that feels like theirs.

Tell us about your family.

Our family is made up of my husband, Dean, who owns Squamish Coastal Contracting Inc., our two boys, Jack Wilder (5) and Wilf Parker (3), better known as Wilfy, and me.

Jack unknowingly became the inspiration behind the entire Wilder brand. When he was just 10 weeks old, I co-founded Graze Wilder, and that one little word, Wilder, has stayed with us ever since. It has grown alongside our family and now lives on through Dine Wilder, The Room, FEAST, and everything I create.

Life in our house is loud, full of muddy shoes by the front door, endless snack requests, dance parties in the living room, and Yorkshire puddings on a Sunday. You can take the girl out of Yorkshire, but she’ll never let her Yorkshire puds go. Life feels like it’s overflowing at the seams in the best possible way.

My mom always told me that home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling you create wherever your feet are. I often pinch myself that our home in Squamish has become exactly that for so many other people too. Friends, family, neighbours, and complete strangers know the kettle is always on, the door is always open, and there’s probably a charcuterie platter about to be whipped up.

What are your go-to activities, places, or hidden gems in Metro Vancouver that you and your family love?

I love being taken anywhere I’ve never been before. There’s something so exciting about discovering a new place, having an unexpected conversation, and finding little gems you’d never stumble across if you stayed on the same path.

For work, I love spending time at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. There’s such an incredible energy there, and it feels like every conversation I have somehow sparks a little bit of magic. I love meetings at Water St. Café, dinners at Hy’s or Black+Blue, and wandering through the beautiful brick streets and independent stores of Gastown because it gives me a little taste of the UK.

With the boys, you’ll often find us at Science World, the Vancouver Aquarium, exploring West Vancouver, grabbing a coffee at Crema, or spending slow afternoons at Ambleside and the beaches. Weekends are often spent at Whytecliff Park, letting the boys explore while we soak up the views.

When my parents come to visit, they love taking the boys to Science World, the Aquarium, or Granville Island. I think that’s what I love most about Vancouver. There is always somewhere new to discover, no matter how long you’ve lived here.

What’s something motherhood has taught you about yourself?

Motherhood has taught me that there is no arrival point. It’s one long evolution, and just when you think you’ve found your rhythm, everything changes again. Becoming a mom changed me. Becoming a mom of two changed me all over again.

I used to think being a great mom meant being completely selfless. Looking back, I think I’d have felt even more like myself if I’d taken the occasional moment to refill my own cup. Now I know my boys need the fullest version of me.

I’m not a mom who follows all the rules or worries too much about the “shoulds.” I’d much rather say yes to watching the stars past bedtime, wearing pyjamas to the movies, or dancing to one more song in the kitchen. I want my boys to remember a childhood full of unexpected yeses, not things.

More than anything, I hope they grow up watching a mom who was brave enough to chase her dreams, kind enough to bring other people along with her, and never afraid to jump before she was ready.

Where can we follow you?

If you’d like to stay connected, you can find me here:

• Website: www.emilywilder.ca
• Dine Wilder: www.dinewilderevents.com
• Instagram: @emily_wilder
• LinkedIn: Emily Shimwell

Emily Wilder is one of our Vancouver Moms to Follow. She’s the founder of Dine Wilder, a Squamish based community built around long-table dinners, retreats, and her signature annual gathering, FEAST, happening October 25th. What started as a simple dinner series has grown into a movement that connects small business owners, storytellers, and dreamers who might never have crossed paths otherwise.

Originally from Yorkshire, England, Emily now calls Squamish home alongside her husband Dean, owner of Squamish Coastal Contracting Inc., and their two boys, Jack and Wilfy. Her days are a mix of hosting rooms full of new connections, cheering on fellow entrepreneurs, and chasing her boys around the backyard, often in heels.

Emily believes in leaning into the unknown and moving with heart over logic. Through Dine Wilder and her new membership community, The Room, she’s building spaces where people feel seen, inspired, and genuinely connected, one table at a time. Stay tuned for more inspiring moms who are shaping motherhood and leadership across Metro Vancouver.

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