Farm to Batteau

A chef-led riverside dinner aboard batteaux on the James River

Farm to Batteau returns in a new riverside format for 2026 — now set at a private property in Scottsville, with open-fire cooking and supper served aboard the batteaux moored at the water’s edge.

Duration: 2.5 Hours

  • Price: $200 + 6% Online Booking Fee

  • Ages: 8+

  • Max Capacity: 20 people

  • Meet: Private riverfront in Scottsville

  • What’s Included: Chef-led Supper Cooked Over Open Fire, Live Music, Fireside Lingering

  • What to Bring: Comfortable Shoes, Beverages, Sunglasses, Hat.

The  Experience

  • Batteau River Tours on the James River

    Arrival and Exploration

    The evening begins by the river. Guests settle in with a drink, explore the riverbank, visit the batteaux, and encounter the history of the working James.

    Nearby, Chef Sarah Rennie of Two Fire Table cooks over open fire, with the meal unfolding in real time.

  • Batteau Sunset Cruise on the James River

    Dinner on the Batteaux

    Guests gather aboard the batteaux moored at the water’s edge for a chef-led, fire-cooked supper.

    Dinner is served on the boats themselves, with live acoustic music and the river all around. This is the heart of the evening — fire, table, and river coming together.

  • Fireside Finish

    After supper, guests return to the riverbank for dessert, firelight, and conversation.

    The evening comes to a close with time to linger by the James as the fire burns low.

  • A New Format for 2026

    Farm to Batteau is entering a new chapter this season. In past years, the experience moved downriver as a dinner cruise. This year, we’re dining at the water’s edge.

    The dinner-on-the-water experience remains at the heart of the evening: supper is still served aboard the batteaux on the James. Our new private riverside setting allows us to expand the format with restrooms, firelight, music, and more time to soak in the scene.

A woman in a red plaid shirt and black apron is cooking a slab of meat over an outdoor grill on a wooden dock by a body of water, with a man standing nearby.

Two Fire Table

A Southern Appalachian native, Sarah Rennie began her love of cooking with fire in a wood-fired bakery in Asheville, NC. It was there that she learned the importance of seasonal cooking and supporting local farms.

After working for many great chefs in the area, she moved to Richmond, VA to manage three time James Beard nominated, Sub Rosa Bakery.

Additionally in an effort to enrich her knowledge and skills, Sarah spent time traveling in the American West and in South America to study foods and cultures that surround open fire cooking.

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Stay on-site

Belle meade Farm

Skip the drive home by staying at Belle Meade on the James, an on-site guesthouse where thoughtful hosts and a peaceful setting make it easy to extend your time along the river.

Reserve Your Stay

FAQs

  • For 2026, Farm to Batteau is changing format. In past seasons, the experience traveled downriver as a dinner cruise. This year, Farm to Batteau will take place at a private riverside property in Scottsville.

    The dinner-on-the-water experience remains central: supper is still served aboard the batteaux on the James. The new setting simply gives the evening more room to unfold, with access to restrooms, firelight, music, and more time along the riverbank.

  • Yes. Dinner is still served aboard the batteaux on the water and remains the heart of the experience.

    While the format has expanded to a private riverside setting, the core moment guests love — sharing a meal from the boats themselves on the James — has not changed.

  • Yes, guests may bring beverages if desired. We keep the atmosphere relaxed, welcoming, and family-friendly, and drunkenness will not be tolerated.

  • Farm to Batteau dinners are outdoor experiences and may continue in light weather. If severe weather or unsafe conditions are expected, we will postpone, reschedule, or refund the event.

  • This is an outdoor riverfront experience on natural ground. Comfortable shoes are strongly recommended. We also suggest dressing for the weather and bringing an extra layer as the evening cools down.

  • Yes, children ages 8 and older are welcome. The evening is relaxed and family-friendly, but it is designed as a 3 hour hosted supper experience.

  • Yes. Bathroom facilities will be available on site.

  • Farm to Batteau will take place on a private riverfront property in Scottsville, Virginia. The exact address, parking instructions, and arrival details will be provided after booking.

  • Yes. Private Farm to Batteau dinners are available on a limited basis for milestone birthdays, family gatherings, anniversaries, retreats, wedding-weekend events, memorials, and other meaningful occasions. Private Gatherings reserve the evening exclusively for your group and are priced separately from public ticketed dates.

  • James River Batteau Company was founded to share the history, beauty, and community of the James River through unforgettable experiences.

    Our Farm to Batteau dinners are the next expression of that mission. Some JRBC experiences move with the current. This one invites you to stay by the river a little longer — to eat, listen, talk, wander, and experience the James as a place that has held people, stories, and community for centuries.

  • If you feel at the end of the tour the service you received was exceptional, a personal “thank you” in the form of gratuity is greatly appreciated.