Chocolate fondant is a classic French dessert, and the name translates as "melting chocolate." This airy sponge cake with a liquid chocolate filling is one of the most beloved chocolate desserts in the world, although it gained popularity only in the late 20th century. There is a lack of consensus among some chefs regarding the dessert's origin. French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten claims to have first prepared it in 1987 when he was the head chef at the Lafayette restaurant in the Drake Hotel in New York. It wasn't a deliberately crafted recipe but rather an oversight on his part. However, renowned pastry chef and chocolatier Jacques Torres argues that this dessert has long been known in France and is called "chocolate fondant." Another popular version suggests that French chef Michel Bras invented it at the Laguiole restaurant.