"Top Chef All Stars" picks a winner

(CBS) Last night was the finale of "Top Chef All Stars," and it was Richard Blais and Mike Isabella who out-lasted everyone else to make it to the end.

The final challenge? A super-sized version of Restaurant Wars: each had to create the restaurant of their dreams, and cook the food they'd want to make in it. They each had three former competitors serving as their sous chefs - Blais had Antonia, Angelo and Spike, while Isabella worked with Carla, Tiffani and Jamie.

Blais stuck to his creative, molecular gastronomy-inspired cooking with his restaurant, Tongue & Cheek, creating dishes with multiple components and unexpected ingredients - including an oyster amuse bouche and foie gras ice cream for dessert. Isabella opened Restaurant Iz, with his vision of refined Italian cooking, which included poached halibut with pepperoni sauce and glazed pork shoulder.

So, who came out on top?

After the judges deliberated, it was Blais who was named Top Chef.

"When there's a will, there's a way - and I willed this," he said, wiping away tears.

Isabella took the loss in stride: "I feel like I beat him," he said. "I just didn't get the prize."

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