Chef Simon Bates of the Burger Stand at the Casbah delivers his eggplant and lamb meatloaf to the judges during the Chefs Challenge on Wednesday at the Douglas County Fair. Bates won the contest that also featured eggplant dishes made by chefs Brad Brown of Bird Dog Bar at The Oread and Vaughn Good of Hank Charcuterie.

An eggplant meatloaf created by Burger Stand chef Simon Bates reigned supreme at the Douglas County Fair’s Chefs Challenge on Wednesday night.

Around 150 people attended the event and helped judge dishes made by three local chefs that each featured the too-often-overlooked eggplant and other locally sourced ingredients.

“Everybody loved the food, and with the kind of heat we’ve been having, it was great to have such a wonderful summer night,” said Helen Schnoes, Douglas County food systems coordinator.

Bates’ eggplant and lamb meatloaf with caponata ketchup, deviled tomatoes and potato salad with beets took home first prize.

Bates was followed by Brad Brown of the Oread Hotel’s Bird Dog Bar and Vaughn Good of Hank Charcuterie, Schnoes said.

Brown made a grilled Yukon Gold potato topped with arugula, chevre, charred tomato vinaigrette and eggplant caviar.

Good’s dish featured a smoked pork shoulder with eggplant and chevre, tomato relish, local black-eyed peas and a housemade ricotta cheese.