He was the most played artist of 2021 in the UK, but when Greg Pappas walked out of the kitchen of their burger shop; he saw his mum chatting with him with a puzzled look on her face.

Greg Pappas with mum Georgia and UK pop star Ed Sheeran during his visit at Greg’s burger joint. Photo: Supplied/Greg Pappas.

“You go anywhere in the world with his photo and people know him,” Greg Pappas tells Neos Kosmos with a giggle over the phone on Wednesday.

A day earlier, the owner of Andrews Burgers was treated to a surprise visit by pop star Ed Sheeran, who stopped by the Albert Park burger joint for lunch.

But the real celebrity of the day was Greg’s mum. Unaware of who exactly Sheeran was, Georgia Pappas was attending to the British songwriter like she would any other customer.

“I was at the back doing some chores and when I walked out of the kitchen, mum was talking to Ed, discussing the menu.”

“She was telling him ‘I think you should have the Andrews burger.’”

“She had this puzzled look on her face but didn’t really recognise him. So, she turned around and told me in Greek ‘Γρηγόρη, νομίζω τον ξέρω αυτόν τον άνθρωπο’ [Greg, I think I know this man]”

When Greg replied back to her that it’s Ed Sheeran, Georgia put a smile on her face and told the pop star ‘I love you!’

“Just that morning, she had seen him on the news at the surprise concert he did for the Royal Children’s Hospital. So, she goes to him ‘I don’t care how famous you are, you went to the hospital, you’re a very good boy, I’m gonna cook for you.”

Mrs Georgia, who hails from Kalamata, is “a typical Greek mum”, says son Greg.

“She doesn’t work here [at the eatery], she just pops in to say hi or help out.

“But every time she comes in, I ask her to cook for me. You know, she’s got the Greek mother’s touch. She’s the best. Or maybe I’m biased,” he says laughing.

“We’re very family oriented. My dad is my best mate and mum is our rock.”

As to how the surprise celebrity visit concluded, Mr Pappas shares:

“Ed was just so nice, we took a few photos together, he signed some autographs and signed the cap for me.

“You know in the whole 84 years of our shop a lot of celebrities have come in but not like him. He’s like one of the most well-known musicians in the world. But I think he felt so comfortable with us.”

“Celebrities or not, we’re all the same at the end of the day.”