Y STORIES: “A MIX OF GOOD INGREDIENTS”
If you happened to be a member of the Eugene Family YMCA in the 70s or 80s, or perhaps a student at South Eugene High School, chances are you enjoyed the culinary artistry of Chef Joyce Mixer. Before Seinfeld’s infamous soup character, there was a ‘soupery’ right here at your Y.
Joyce’s Potagerie (named after the French word for soup) was in business from 1972-1998. When the café opened, a cup of soup was $0.30. Opening day, Joyce had to carry most of the ingredients in on her back due to an unusual snowstorm. Despite the weather, 21 customers showed up.
“I never wanted to run a restaurant, it’s terrible work. But what can I say? The hours were good…I made dreadful coffee, never strong enough, but no one ever complained.” Joyce received a certificate in Institutional Management from the Domestic Science College in Sheffield, England, and was raised in a 16th-century farmhouse. A gift from her father sent her to the famous Cordon Bleu in Paris.
“Her taco salad, that was my favorite,” says Dave Perez, Executive Director at the Y from 1992-2016. “And the pie, I was always up for a piece of pie.”
The late John Alltucker, former owner of Eugene Sand & Gravel, was a regular at the Potagerie; in fact, he was there the first day, as well as the last. As quoted in an article in the Register Guard on June 24, 1998, John said, “She’s a great cook and a great gal.”
Joyce affectionately recalls how Mr. Alltucker would often hide her desserts from his family by placing them with the dog food so no one would get their hands on the goodies.
After 26 years of sandwiches, soups, pies, and trifles, Joyce decided it was time to retire. Her magic in the kitchen with simple flavors (which she referred to as bland) is still famous among many Eugene neighbors.
Joyce recently joined the Y’s LEGACY SOCIETY, which is fitting seeing as she is a legacy in her own right within the Y. “I love the Y. It’s always been a positive experience in my life. It’s a welcoming and wonderful place to work, and I see all of the same people that are loyal to the Y, it’s like a family. The Y has been home for me for nearly 50 years.”
