After a lifetime visiting football matches, cuisine queen Delia Smith knows her Bovril from her beef consomme.

But the TV favourite and owner of Norwich City was still left gobsmacked by the meal she was served when her team visited Middlesbrough.

Describing it as "the best in a football club ever!", she made a point of personally thanking head chef Howard Archer and his team, and invited them to Norwich to exchange ideas with her own club's catering team.

Delia was one of 1,400 supporters served in the club's corporate hospitality suites before the recent Premiership game between Middlesbrough and Norwich.

Afterwards, she visited the kitchen to thank the catering staff and presented Mr Archer with an autographed menu, on which she wrote: "Thank you so much for our delicious lunch - best in a football club ever! Warmest wishes, Delia".

High praise indeed from Britain's favourite cook, who, as an avid football fan and joint majority shareholder at Norwich, has seen more than 1,000 live games and dined at every Premiership club.

Mr Archer, 44, who began his working life as a kitchen porter, was over the moon: "For a chef, praise doesn't get much better than that. But, just like football, banquet catering is all down to teamwork and, fortunately, we have a very good team here.

"It was very kind of Delia to take the trouble to thank us in this way. She's revered wherever she goes. I'm a big fan and we have several of her books on the shelves in the kitchen.

"Before every game, the directors of both teams eat in the boardroom. We knew Delia would be one of the Norwich City guests, but we didn't make any special arrangements - she chose from the same menu as everyone else that day," said Mr Archer.

"She took away all our brochures after and was kind enough to invite us to Norwich to exchange ideas with her own catering team, and we are looking forward to that.''

The sumptuous food dished up by Howard is a million miles away from the traditional bovril and burgers of the terraces.

When Norwich City visited, the pre-match meal began with champagne and canapes, followed by a mouthwatering array of starters, including risotto of sun-blushed tomatoes and asparagus in a truffle oil dressing, or salmon gravadlax served with dolcelatte creme fraiche and daper vinaigrette.

For her main course, Delia plumped for the mild mustard roast sirloin, set on a bed of crushed potato and wild mushroom burgundy sauce. This was followed by a selection of luscious deserts, cheeseboard and, finally, coffee and petit fours.

Delia is not the only celebrity to praise the food at the Riverside. A few days later, Manchester United visited and Sir Bobby Charlton made a point of personally complimenting the chef.

"We use fresh, locally-supplied produce and it helps that the banqueting suites are on the same level as the kitchens - at some football grounds they are dotted all over the stadiums, which makes catering more difficult," said Mr Archer.

Mr Archer, 44, worked his way up from being a hotel kitchen porter at 17 to become head chef at Yorkshire's Headingley Cricket ground, before moving to Middlesbrough as executive chef five years ago.

But he has no desire to become the next TV celebrity chef, after Delia announced her retirement.

"I already have my dream job, as I'm from Middlesbrough and have supported the team all my life," he said.

The only low point for Delia came on the pitch, where Norwich were beaten 2-0 by Middlesbrough.