"When I got saved it was one of the best feelings in the world"

Addison Osta Smith admits she got “really nervous” when facing elimination twice on her journey to the MASTERCHEF JUNIOR finale.

“It was really scary to me because being on MASTERCHEF is my dream,” she tells TheTVPage.com.

“It is my passion to cook. When I was so close to being eliminated it was really scary to me. When I got saved it was one of the best feelings in the world. It’s not that great once you realize your friends are going home.”

Addison has been a favorite to win Gordon Ramsay’s cooking contest since episode one.

She will face off against her close friend — and fellow nine-year-old — Avery Kyle in Friday night’s winner-take-all grand finale.

What is the best part of being a “celebrity chef”? Do you get out of doing homework at school

Not at all. [laughs] My teachers will be like, “You are famous, you still have to do your work!” But there are other benefits. I got to cook at Graham Elliot’s Bisto [in Chicago].

And you got to be on MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN — where you got a minor burn. Do you sometimes get nervous under pressure?

I don’t get nervous. I try to get things done and sometimes I will be a little mindless in the kitchen, I guess. I get a little distracted. [laughs]

>>RELATED STORY: Watch Addison Compete On ‘MasterChef Celebrity Showdown’

What has it been like for you to watch MASTERCHEF JUNIOR on television for the last few months?

It has been really fun. Even though I was there, it is kind of new to me. In the episode where I was in the bottom three, I got nervous even though I knew the outcome.

You and Avery are both fierce competitors…

And we are both really, really good friends. We would play Uno together in the room and, like, play hide and go seek in the hotel. We would have dinner together sometimes. We would hang out a lot.

Did you secretly want to go against her in the finale.

I think it was more that I wanted to be in the finale. I wanted to win.

In the semi-finals, you survived, but your friends Amaya and Zac were eliminated.

I was a little disappointed that they went home. But I was actually really, really excited [for me]. It is a competition and people are going to have to go home. It is sad because they are my friends. But then I know that I am in the finale and two girls are in the finale. And we are nine years-old — younger than all the boys. A young girl is going to win this time.

What else are you good at — besides cooking and sports?

I love to sing and I love to dance. I love acting also.

Have you acted in anything yet?

Yeah. At the Actors Garden which is a camp nearby. I do auditions for shows and stuff.

You are not going to go all Hollywood on us and give up the dream of opening Batter Up Bakery are you?

No. I may want to be an actress, but I will still have the bakery and still have all my cooking things and my softball. Acting is just one of the many things i like to do.

Do you get an allowance?

My mom says you get an allowance, but then I always forget to ask for it on Saturdays. So I guess I do.

Do you have chores that you have to do?

I have to empty the dishwasher and put the dishes away. I have to walk my dog and feed my dog. I have to take the recycling out. I have to put my clothes away.

Is it cool to see your face on a billboard or on the side of a bus?

It is definitely surreal, but I like being on billboards. I appreciate it. And I appreciate all the support i am getting from all my fans on Instagram and Twitter. This is kind of important to me — on Instagram, i just reached 5000 followers.

What do your fans want to know about you?

Some people want to know things like “what softball team do you play for?” But most comments and direct messages say things like “You are inspiring…” And I really am thankful for all that support.

]It’s not softball season. Are you playing any other sports?

I am playing on two basketball teams. I am playing for a rec league and a travel [team]. My rec team has won two games and lost one. And my travel team, we are doing really well.

Do you take losing well?

No, I don’t take losing very well. My team mates will be like “Okay, we will win the next game” and I will be like “Ok, but we lost this game.” But I learn from all my losses. I learn what I can do better. I learn from my shooting form.

And the fact that you have become kind of a celebrity…

I can still focus in and play the best i can play but there are still people in the stands who will be like “that is the girl from TV…”

What other reality or competition show do you think you would do well on?

I could be on DANCE MOMS and show all my ballerina moves. [laughs] Okay, probably not. My mom is not a Dance Mom. And that is a little girly girly for me. But I love to dance. I would do well on DANCE MOMS. I would love to be on THE VOICE or PROJECT RUNWAY JUNIOR

But you have to be able to design clothes to be on PROJECT RUNWAY…

At school I will design little dresses on my iPad.

Jeez, Addison — Is there anything you can’t do?

Nope. I like to try to do things.

The MASTERCHEF JUNIOR finale airs Friday night at 8:00 PM on Fox.