WEST POINT, Neb. - A young chef is staying afloat after starting a restaurant just weeks before the pandemic started.

Business is hot at The Bohemian Duck in West Point.

"Generally we have about 30 reserved," said restaurant owner and chef Robert Knobbe.

Knobbe said the dinner spot has been a hit recently.

"Then we do walk-ins, so that could be anywhere from 45 to 50 people," said Knobbe.

Though the duck is flying off the menu now, it wasn't always like this.

"During the pandemic, it was about...you'd have about five people reserved," said Knobbe.

The Bohemian Duck opened on February 27 of 2020, a few weeks before COVID-19 shut down the nation.

"There were discussions, maybe hey should we shut it down you know, and just wait this out," said Knobbe.

After three weeks of business, Knobbe transitioned his fine-dining vision to take-out only.

"You had to keep going," said Knobbe. "I wasn't going to open up this place and then just give up like that."

Across the U.S., 10 percent of restaurants permanently closed due to COVID-19, but government funds and takeout kept The Bohemian Duck above water.

"At that time, it was all happening so fast," said Knobbe. "It was almost like you were just going with the flow."

Open for business for almost two years now, Knobbe said three months ago he started to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Yes!" said Knobbe. "We got them coming in again."

Despite eased restrictions and the vaccine rollout, Knobbe said the pandemic is still affecting his business.

"Beef is sky-high right now," said Knobbe.

He said he had to increase some menu prices.

"But I haven't had a lot of complaints about it because I think people when they go to the grocery store or whichever you know they see everything's going up," said Knobbe.

Now, with a steady flow of customers, Knobbe said he hopes to let the creative juices flow.

"Okay, we can start moving forward with the creative menus," said Knobbe. "Start elevating a little more and getting back to what I wanted this place to be."

Knobbe said the name of the restaurant comes from his great-grandmother who was 100 percent Bohemian. She was from the Howells area. He said all of his grandmothers cooked things from scratch. 

"I had very very fond memories of going to her farm and picking duck eggs," said Knobbe. "I just kind of wanted to bring that into the restaurant because she always had this duck and dumpling and sauerkraut dish."

For a look at the menu click HERE.