Which French-born pastry chef developed the Cronut in 2013?

French-born pastry chef Dominique Ansel developed the Cronut in 2013.

Ansel introduced the Cronut on May 10, 2013, at Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood. The pastry combines elements of a croissant and a doughnut: laminated, yeast-leavened dough is shaped, fried, filled and finished with toppings. Its name is a trademarked brand name rather than a generic term for every croissant-doughnut hybrid.

The Cronut became a viral sensation almost immediately. A report from Grub Street helped spread the news, and within days more than 100 people were lining up outside the bakery. The sudden demand inspired imitations around the world, often marketed under names such as doughssant, crullant or zonut.

Ansel was born in France and had worked in high-profile pastry kitchens before opening his New York bakery. He later published an at-home Cronut recipe, but the bakery version is known for a lengthy preparation process that takes about three days.