cost-optimizelisted

# Cost Optimize When asked to optimize a menu for food cost: 1. **Identify over-budget dishes.** List every dish whose ingredient cost exceeds the target % (default 30%). Sort by cost descending — tackle the worst offenders first. 2. **Propose concrete swaps.** For each over-budget dish suggest one or two specific ingredient swaps with the expected cost saving (e.g. "replace salmon with ocean trout: saves ~22% on protein cost"). Preserve the dish's flavour profile and presentation quality. 3. **Check seasonal alternatives.** Fetch current seasonal produce prices if available; seasonal substitutes are the first port of call before changing the dish concept. 4. **Re-run the numbers.** After each proposed swap, recalculate the dish food-cost % and the blended menu food-cost % to confirm the target is met. 5. **Flag quality risks.** If a swap materially changes texture, flavour, or presentation, note it explicitly so the operator can decide whether the trade-off is acceptable. 6. **Summarise changes** in a before/after table: dish name | original cost % | new cost % | swap made.