At Oxbow Country Club, it’s easy to feel at home. For members, it’s a place where the course is pristine, the summers revolve around the pool, and the club becomes an extension of their daily lives. For Executive Chef Scott Motschenbacher, who recently celebrated both his ninth year at Oxbow and the ninth anniversary of its award-winning clubhouse, that feeling runs even deeper.

“People really treat this place like a second home,” he said. “Food touches every single part of that experience, and I couldn’t be more proud of the opportunity for that to be recognized at this great event for charity.”

Oxbow Country Club has long been known for its championship-level course that offers a sweeping, beautifully redesigned layout created by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. With rolling terrain, signature water features, and elevated greens that challenge all skill levels, Oxbow offers members a golf experience on par with the country’s finest private clubs.

But the club goes far beyond golf. Its resort-style pool complex draws thousands each summer. Families spend entire days lounging, dipping, and ordering from dedicated poolside menus. Beverage shacks on the course serve specialty snacks alongside a full bar. Event spaces host weddings, corporate gatherings, and community celebrations.

What you’ll find at Oxbow

World Class Golf Course
Great Food
Indoor Golf Simulators
A Resort Style Pool
A Family-Friendly Pool

The Chef Behind the Mac

Executive Chief Scott Motschenbacher

If Oxbow is a second home, Scott is the one running the kitchen

Executive Chef Motschenbacher’s resume spans nearly every corner of the industry: hotels, high-volume restaurants, banquet operations, ownership of multiple local establishments, and leadership at Fargo staples like Beefsteak Club, Pounds, the Avalon, and Spitfire. But nine years ago, Oxbow became the place where he could finally settle in.

“It was a part of the industry I’d never done,” he said. “With clubs, you have this unique, captive audience, and a more affluent clientele, so you get to elevate everything. We were about to move into the new clubhouse, and I thought, ‘This is my chance to take it over the top.’”

Award-Winning Mac & Cheese—And the Philosophy Behind It

One of Scott’s latest highlights is earning top honors at Fargo’s 2nd Annual Cheesy for Charity—a mac & cheese contest to support United Way of Cass Clay.

“The problem with mac and cheese at these events is they get transported and dry out,” he said. “I cooked the noodles and sauce fresh and kept everything hot as I went. That’s it.”

But the flavor profile is all Scott:

Smoked Gouda as the base
Gorgonzola for tang
Cheddar and Parmesan to round it out
Crispy bacon on top

A Menu That Spans Every Craving

When you’re the chef at a country club, you don’t get the luxury of a narrow specialty.

“You have to be good at steaks, sushi, pizzas, chicken strips—everything,” he said.

Members might order wood-fired pizza for the kids, handcrafted sushi for a date night, or a meticulously prepared steak for a business dinner. During the summer, the kitchen serves 22,000 orders of chicken strips at the pool!

But those chicken strips also make something else possible.

“They allow me to order things like A5 Wagyu beef in the winter,” Scott said. “Or to bring in fresh black truffles. Or to fly in overnight fish from Honolulu.”

Yes, Honolulu. Oxbow flies in fish directly to Fargo to ensure seafood dishes are as fresh as possible, an unheard-of level of quality for a midwestern club.

“We bring in the highest-quality products we can to serve the membership here,” he saod. “We really pride ourselves on our steaks and seafood.”

About the 2nd Annual Cheesy for Charity

Cheesy for Charity is one of the community’s most beloved fundraisers—a simple, joyful idea that brings people together over great food for a powerful cause. Each year, local restaurants, and community partners team up with United Way to serve up creative mac and cheese dishes, all to support programs that help kids and families thrive in Cass and Clay counties.