A control system is configured to operate a plant to achieve an optimal value for a performance variable of the plant. The system comprise a feedforward controller configured to receive a measurable disturbance to the plant and generate a feedforward contribution to a control input to the plant using the measurable disturbance. The system also comprises an extremum-seeking controller configured to receive the performance variable from the plant and generate an extremum-seeking contribution to the control input to drive the performance variable to the optimal value. The system further comprises a control input element configured to generate the control input by combining the extremum-seeking contribution and the feedforward contribution and provide the control input to the plant.