The One Thing Every Couple Should Have in Their Kitchen According to Gordon Ramsay

We sat down with Gordon Ramsay to get the inside scoop on his new Royal Doulton Union Street Café china collection, and not only did the world-renowned chef let us in on the inspiration for his new line, but he also gave us his best wedding and dinner party tips and the most essential items for every couple's registry. And who better to take dinner party advice from than the master chef himself?

Ramsay's top five picks for the first essentials all newlyweds need on their registry aren't too surprising, but necessary nonetheless. Every couple should register for sturdy kitchen knives, a nice set of pots and pans, a great dining table, comfortable chairs, and "a bloody good refrigerator" to ensure dinner parties and everyday meals are a success.

China, of course, is a registry mainstay. "China is all about canvas," Ramsay told us. "And the launch of the Union Street Café is all about the casual, chic, rustic charm. It's all about that Mediterranean flavor … it gives an amazing depth of canvas to show off how we cook, how we entertain, and how good a dinner party can become with the right china."

The best way to show off your china, Ramsay says, is really any way that suits your personal taste: "It could be an amazing rib eye for the whole table, or it could be a pot roast, or the most amazing salad … There's something that's robust and chic about the range [of the collection] that's not just about the everyday, but is also a chance to show off and shine."

Ramsay calls himself "a bit of a control freak" when it comes to planning a dinner party, everything from the menu down to the lighting and the music playlist must fit the ambiance of the occasion. "It's all about the lighting, about the mood, about the candles," he says. "[Candles are] really important. It can really help lift the glow … at lunch or at dinner, lighting is crucial … and no raw garlic," he adds. "There's nothing worse than that awful stench of garlic." The music is also "as important as the food," Ramsay says. "It's the ambiance creator."

When asked what he thought was the best type of food to serve at a wedding, he emphasized the importance of food that is relatively easy to eat. "Food at a wedding needs to be exciting, produce-led, mainstream, and nothing that is clumsy to eat," Ramsay said. "Something mainstream but has that elegance-and then really focus on a great dessert. Because that can lift the whole event." We can definitely get behind that!