Shoudt wolfed down 11.5 pounds at the Kings Island amusement park near Cincinnati, edging the top-ranked eater in the world, Joey Chestnut, who devoured 11.2 pounds of the regional delicacy, The Middletown (Ohio) Journal reported Tuesday.

The Labor Day contest carried a $2,500 first prize and wasn't so much a test of skill as other less user-friendly foods, Shoudt said.

"If it's not a technique food -- something where you can just stuff your face -- I tend to be quicker," Shoudt said. "No one had ever eaten chili spaghetti before, so I thought I had a real chance."

Shoudt and Chestnut far outdistanced the 10 amateurs in the contest who plowed through less than 4 pounds apiece.