Declaring the Top Chef winner for 2014 was one of the hardest decisions the judges of Season 11, but in the end, one contestant emerged victorious over the rest.

"Top Chef" Season 11, which started out in the Big Easy for a New Orleans season with 19 chefs, came to a conclusion on Wednesday, Feb. 5 when the final two contenders battled it out for the US$125,000 grand prize.

According to a report by Philly Mag, Nicholas Elmi and Nina Compton have a come a long way, beating 17 other skilled chefs for the top two spots of "Top Chef" Season 11 but only one between the two can be crowned the 2014 winner.

The final two chefs left standing in the competition were Nina Compton, 34, from Miami and Nicholas Elmi, 32, from Philadelphia.

Elmi and Compton have been evenly matched throughout the season, with both contestants winning three challenges a piece. However, Compton seemed to have an advantage over Elmi who had been in the bottom five times, read the report.

After the decisive final meal, the judges seemed to have encountered a rough spot, with host Padma Lakshmi saying this was "the closest" finale she has ever experienced.

In the end, Elmi was declared the "Top Chef" 2014 winner.

"This is a pretty great feeling right now. I don't even know what to say. Winning means a lot for my family, it's life-changing," Elmi remarked in his post-win interview.

Compton said that she's "proud to be a role model," showing that you can come from a small island and go on to the finals of "Top Chef."