“I’m in the DNA of the place” - Professor Green on opening first fast food outlet in Scotland
The rapper and musician is opening his first fast food outlet in Scotland, after a successful pizza pop-up during Covid. He chats to Rosalind Erskine about the concept and why he’s chosen to launch here.
As with many of us, Professor Green (Stephen Manderson), found himself with a sideline during Covid - a pizza pop-up with good friend and chef, Gizzi Erskine. “I’ve more chefs (numbers) in my phone than rappers”, said Mr Manderson, who has gone into partnership with East Kilbride based hospitality business Hero Brands, who brought German Donor Kebab into Scotland and the UK, to launch his PG Fast Food venue in Glasgow.
The musician has been involved in the development of the new venture, which will open in the first half of 2026, and has a real passion for food which comes from a childhood of trying different things.
He said: “I was quite scared of trying new foods, but more polite than I was scared so I would never say no to a plate of food that I was offered. Growing up in a working class area from a working class background, it was something that you always got offered when you went to someone’s house was a plate of food.
“You didn’t have much but you always got a plate of food and people’s parents were from all over the world, so it was an introduction to foods that I wouldn’t otherwise have tried at home. My diet at home was very beige.”
PG Fast Food has been born from this love of food and is a “brilliant new concept that highlights the fact that fast food doesn’t have to be bad food,” said Mr Manderson. “It can be fun food, it can be indulgent but it can also be healthy without having to be boring. I don’t like using the word clean around food. I think it’s more important that we encourage people to have healthy relationships with food than food always needing to be healthy.
“Everything has been chef developed - people who have much better skills than me have put this together - but I’ve been involved with the development of the food from the very first session, including with things like the acidity of the slaw. I’m in the DNA of the place.
“People talk about culture but, for me, it’s as much about the time of as it is a type of food or music and we’re trying to meet people along the way throughout their day - whether they’re coming in for the lunch, a rice loaded or salad loaded, or want to carb up on a Friday night before going out in town.”
Speaking of the location, Mr Manderson said: “It’s no coincidence that we’ve opened in Glasgow. Glasgow is such a great city, people are real here and Byres Road is a great location - there’s great footfall of students, tourists and residents. It’s the perfect place for us to start.”
When it comes to the menu, Mr Manderson is keeping tight-lipped about the specifics, but it’ll be a lunch and dinner spot with recipe-based options that can be added to a rice or salad base. There will also be: “UFOs (which are sealed sandwiches and sealed brioche buns with brilliant fillings), sides such as potato puffs, a focus on drinks and a “dessert that I’ve never seen anywhere before.”
Professor Green has been performing in Glasgow for over 20 years, and loves coming to the city. His last favourite meal here was a weekend staple: “I went to The Loveable Rogue, and had a banging roast there on a Sunday.”
With another PG Fast Food coming to the city centre, and a pop-up van heading to The Fort shopping centre, the musician is also getting ready to open in his hometown of London.
PG Fast Food will open in early 2026 at 182 Byres Road in Glasgow
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