In the light of comments in here, perhaps my steak preparation technique requires some adjustment, but FWIW:
1: Ribeye. Thicker rather than wider ones if you can get them. Dry-aged is worth the extra if you're making an occasion of it.
2: Take them out of the fridge at least an hour prior to cooking. Remove them from their packaging. If they're vacuum packed, dab them with a paper towel to dry them a bit. Pour over some olive oil and smear it around.
3: Crush a decent handful of black pepper using a mortar and pestle - don't grind it down to dust. You want a range of sizes of chunks. Add some salt (quite a lot) and smear it on the steaks.
4: Heat your pan. I've got a lovely cast-iron pan (was quite cheap and has justified its existence every time I use it), pop it in the oven on high to heat up without turning your kitchen into a smoky hell.
5: Back To me, Clive.
6: Do the other stuff. Salad, chips whatever. I usually do some salad and slice some mushrooms which go in the pan once the steak comes out.
7: Get out the timer and set it for one minute.
8: Pan out of the oven, cooker on. Steaks in as soon as the pan starts smoking. Timer ON. Oven off. Plates into oven. Turn heat down (eg from 6 to 5).
9: Beep beep, Turn steaks over, cook for another minute.
(I'm aiming for pretty much heated through but still red and jucy. If you're not, then 30 seconds more per side might be about right.)
10: Steaks off the heat and rest in the pan for another minute. Put them on the plates, back in the oven while you cook the mushrooms with some butter. Unsalted works best but I never remember. Add a splash of red wine (a teaspoon of cranberry jelly gives a bit of sweetness if you like), then enough cream to make the sauce thicken just a little.
11: Steaks out of the oven. Sauce on top. Salad next to. Wine back on table.
12: Call your sweetie to come and pay homage.