Stronger prompting, UI update

Seasoned.Backend/Controllers/RecipeController.cs

@@ -97,4 +97,14 @@ public class RecipeController : ControllerBase
 
         return Ok(myRecipes);
     }
+
+    [HttpPost("consult")]
+    public async Task<IActionResult> Consult([FromBody] ChatRequestDto request)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(request.Prompt))
+            return BadRequest("The Chef needs a prompt.");
+
+        var result = await _recipeService.ConsultChefAsync(request.Prompt);
+        return Ok(result);
+    }
 }

Seasoned.Backend/DTOs/ChatRequestDto.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+namespace Seasoned.Backend.DTOs;
+
+public class ChatRequestDto
+{
+    public string Prompt { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+}

Seasoned.Backend/DTOs/ChefConsultResponseDto.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+namespace Seasoned.Backend.DTOs;
+
+public class ChefConsultResponseDto
+{
+    public string Reply { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    public RecipeResponseDto? Recipe { get; set; }
+}

Seasoned.Backend/DTOs/RecipeResponseDto.cs

@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ public class RecipeResponseDto
     public string Icon { get; set; } = "mdi-silverware-fork-knife";
     public List<string> Ingredients { get; set; } = new();
     public List<string> Instructions { get; set; } = new();
+    
 }

Seasoned.Backend/Services/IRecipeService.cs

@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ namespace Seasoned.Backend.Services;
 public interface IRecipeService
 {
     Task<RecipeResponseDto> ParseRecipeImageAsync(IFormFile image);
+    Task<ChefConsultResponseDto> ConsultChefAsync(string userPrompt);
 }

Seasoned.Backend/Services/RecipeService.cs

@@ -84,4 +84,59 @@ public class RecipeService : IRecipeService
             return new RecipeResponseDto { Title = "Parsing Error" };
         }
     }
+
+    public async Task<ChefConsultResponseDto> ConsultChefAsync(string userPrompt)
+    {
+        var googleAI = new GoogleAI(_apiKey);
+        var model = googleAI.GenerativeModel("gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview");
+
+        var systemPrompt = @"You are the 'Seasoned' Head Chef, a master of real-world culinary arts. 
+        You operate a professional kitchen and only provide advice that can be used in a real kitchen.
+
+        STRICT CONTENT RULES:
+        1. REAL FOOD ONLY: You specialize in real-world ingredients and techniques. 
+        2. CELEBRITY CHEFS: You can provide recipes from real chefs like Gordon Ramsay or Julia Child.
+        3. FICTIONAL FOOD TRANSLATION: If a user asks for food from a game (like a Skyrim Sweetroll) or movie, 
+        do NOT give game mechanics. Instead, provide a REAL-WORLD recipe that recreates that item. 
+        In your 'reply', treat it like a fun culinary challenge.
+        4. REFUSAL POLICY: If the user asks about non-food topics (video game strategies, tech support, politics, or 'Minecraft crafting grids'), 
+        politely refuse. Stay in character: 'The Chef's Grimoire is for spices, not spells' or 'I deal in pans, not pixels.'
+
+        RESPONSE FORMAT:
+        You MUST return ONLY a raw JSON object with these keys:
+        {
+            ""reply"": ""A friendly, thematic response from the Chef."",
+            ""recipe"": {
+                ""title"": ""string"",
+                ""icon"": ""string (must be a valid mdi- icon name)"",
+                ""ingredients"": [""string"", ""string""],
+                ""instructions"": [""string"", ""string""]
+            } 
+        }
+        Note: Set the 'recipe' object to null if you are only chatting or refusing a non-food prompt.";
+
+        var fullPrompt = $"{systemPrompt}\n\nUser Question: {userPrompt}";
+
+        var generationConfig = new GenerationConfig { 
+            ResponseMimeType = "application/json",
+            Temperature = 0.7f
+        };
+
+        var request = new GenerateContentRequest(fullPrompt, generationConfig);
+        var response = await model.GenerateContent(request);
+
+        try 
+        {
+            var options = new JsonSerializerOptions { PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true };
+            string jsonToParse = response.Text ?? "{ \"reply\": \"The chef is speechless. Try again?\" }";
+
+            var result = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<ChefConsultResponseDto>(jsonToParse, options);
+
+            return result ?? new ChefConsultResponseDto { Reply = "Chef is a bit confused!" };
+        }
+        catch (JsonException)
+        {
+            return new ChefConsultResponseDto { Reply = "The kitchen is a mess right now. Try again?" };
+        }
+    }
 }

Seasoned.Frontend/app/assets/css/app-theme.css

@@ -265,3 +265,63 @@
   font-size: 1.05rem;
   letter-spacing: 0.02em;
 }
+
+.chat-container {
+  background: rgba(244, 237, 225, 0.6);
+  border: 1px dashed #d1c7b7;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+}
+
+.chat-container {
+  width: 100%;
+  background-color: rgba(62, 42, 20, 0.03) !important;
+  border: 2px dashed #8c857b;
+  border-radius: 12px;
+  padding: 20px;
+  transition: all 0.3s ease;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+}
+
+.chat-container:focus-within {
+  background-color: rgba(85, 107, 47, 0.05) !important;
+  border-color: #556b2f;
+}
+
+.chat-input .v-field__input {
+  color: #5d4037 !important;
+  font-family: 'Crimson Text', serif;
+  font-size: 1.1rem;
+}
+
+.chat-input .v-field__input::placeholder {
+  color: #8c7e6a !important;
+  opacity: 1;
+}
+
+.chat-placeholder {
+  font-style: italic;
+  color: #8c7e6a;
+  text-align: center;
+  padding: 20px;
+}
+
+.message {
+  margin-bottom: 10px;
+  padding: 8px 12px;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+}
+
+.message.user {
+  background: rgba(93, 64, 55, 0.1);
+  text-align: right;
+  color: #5d4037;
+  font-weight: bold;
+}
+
+.message.assistant {
+  background: transparent;
+  text-align: left;
+  color: #2c3e50;
+  border-left: 3px solid #556b2f;
+}

Seasoned.Frontend/app/pages/gallery.vue

@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@
 
 <script setup>
 import '@/assets/css/gallery.css'
+
 const recipes = ref([])
 const loading = ref(true)
 const showDetails = ref(false)

Seasoned.Frontend/app/pages/index.vue

@@ -12,11 +12,54 @@
             cover
           ></v-img>
         </div>
-        <p class="brand-subtitle">A Recipe Collection</p>
+        <p class="brand-subtitle">Recipe Creator and Recipe Uploader</p>
       </header>
       
       <v-divider class="mb-10 separator"></v-divider>
 
+      <v-row justify="center" class="mb-6">
+        <v-col cols="12" md="8">
+          <div class="chat-container">
+            <div class="section-header mb-4 d-flex align-center">
+              <v-icon icon="mdi-chef-hat" class="mr-2" size="small"></v-icon>
+              <span>Kitchen Consultation</span>
+              <v-spacer></v-spacer>
+              <v-btn 
+                v-if="chatMessages.length > 0"
+                icon="mdi-delete-sweep-outline" 
+                variant="text" 
+                size="x-small" 
+                color="#8c7e6a"
+                title="Clear Conversation"
+                @click="chatMessages = []"
+              ></v-btn>
+            </div>
+            
+            <div class="chat-display mb-4" ref="chatDisplay">
+              <div v-if="chatMessages.length === 0" class="chat-placeholder">
+                "What shall we create today?"
+              </div>
+              <div v-for="(msg, i) in chatMessages" :key="i" :class="['message', msg.role]">
+                <span class="message-text">{{ msg.text }}</span>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+
+            <v-text-field
+              v-model="userQuery"
+              variant="outlined"
+              hide-details
+              class="chat-input"
+              @keyup.enter="askChef"
+              :loading="chatLoading"
+            >
+              <template v-slot:append-inner>
+                <v-btn icon="mdi-send-variant" variant="text" size="small" color="#5d4037" @click="askChef"></v-btn>
+              </template>
+            </v-text-field>
+          </div>
+        </v-col>
+      </v-row>
+
       <v-row justify="center" class="mb-12">
         <v-col cols="12" md="8" class="d-flex flex-column align-center">
           <div 
@@ -147,7 +190,7 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup>
-import { ref, onMounted } from 'vue'
+import { ref, onMounted, nextTick } from 'vue'
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
 import '@/assets/css/app-theme.css'
 
@@ -159,6 +202,10 @@ const recipe = ref(null)
 const isDragging = ref(false)
 const saving = ref(false)
 const hasSaved = ref(false)
+const userQuery = ref('')
+const chatLoading = ref(false)
+const chatMessages = ref([])
+const chatDisplay = ref(null)
 
 onMounted(() => {
   const savedRecipe = localStorage.getItem('pending_recipe')
@@ -304,4 +351,49 @@ const clearAll = () => {
   saving.value = false
   localStorage.removeItem('pending_recipe')
 }
+
+const askChef = async () => {
+  if (!userQuery.value.trim()) return
+
+  const query = userQuery.value
+  chatMessages.value.push({ role: 'user', text: userQuery.value })
+  userQuery.value = ''
+  chatLoading.value = true
+
+  await nextTick()
+  scrollToBottom()
+
+  try {
+    const data = await $fetch(`${config.public.apiBase}api/recipe/consult`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      body: { prompt: query }
+    })
+
+    chatMessages.value.push({ role: 'assistant', text: data.reply })
+
+    if (data.recipe && data.recipe.title) {
+      recipe.value = data.recipe
+      hasSaved.value = false
+      files.value = []
+      localStorage.removeItem('pending_recipe')
+    }
+
+    await nextTick()
+    scrollToBottom()
+
+  } catch (err) {
+    chatMessages.value.push({ 
+      role: 'assistant', 
+      text: "The kitchen is currently closed for repairs. Try again in a moment?" 
+    })
+  } finally {
+    chatLoading.value = false
+  }
+}
+
+const scrollToBottom = () => {
+  if (chatDisplay.value) {
+    chatDisplay.value.scrollTop = chatDisplay.value.scrollHeight
+  }
+}
 </script>

Seasoned.Frontend/app/pages/login.vue

@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@
 
 <script setup>
 import { ref } from 'vue'
+
 const isLogin = ref(true)
 const email = ref('')
 const password = ref('')