Owners, Viljo and Autumn Basso have been working in restaurants together
  since 1995. Viljo attended Portland's Western Culinary Institute and after an  
  internship at Rover’s – a well-known French cuisine-inspired restaurant in 
  Seattle – he became a full-time chef there. Autumn also worked in restaurants
  in the Seattle area and attended Seattle's Art Institute where she studied  
  Fashion Design.

  While still in Seattle, Viljo also worked at Cascadia Restaurant and Mashiko  
  Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar. He was later asked to help open and be
  the head kitchen chef at Saito's Japanese Café and Sushi Bar, a traditional
  Japanese restaurant in downtown Seattle.

 

  After 8 years in Seattle, Viljo and Autumn were married and returned to
  Coeur d'Alene. In 2004, Ezra ("EZ~B") Basso was born and Viljo and Autumn
  made the big decision to open Syringa, naming it after the Idaho state flower.
 

  Since opening, Syringa has developed a loyal clientéle, due largely in part to
  their dedicated staff. Viljo and Autumn hope to maintain the success and
  continue to serve consistently great food.