Wheelhouse forms Butternut venture with ex-Food Network president Courtney White

US prodco Wheelhouse Entertainment has launched a joint venture with veteran executive Courtney White, the former president of Food Network and general manager of HGTV.

Courtney White

The new company, Butternut, will focus on food, home and lifestyle programming for all platforms, in addition to serving as a “lifestyle hub” for Wheelhouse.

The announcement comes almost three months after it was revealed White was stepping down from her role at Food Network.

At the time, it was known that she would be starting her own company, but it had not been revealed that Butternut was a JV with Brent Montgomery’s Wheelhouse Entertainment.

As president of Butternut, White will collaborate with the leadership teams across all of Wheelhouse’s divisions, including Wheelhouse Entertainment, marketing Wheelhouse Labs, digital division Wheelhouse DNA and its investment arm, Wheelhouse 360.

Butternut is based in Connecticut and White will also work from Wheelhouse’s New York and LA offices, in addition to its campus in Stamford.

“There are very few in our business who know the lifestyle arena as well as Courtney, and who are trusted more by talent,” said Wheelhouse CEO Brent Montgomery, who launched the business in 2018 in partnership with Jimmy Kimmel.

“We see Butternut not only as our lifestyle stronghold in content but in other potential businesses, from culinary to consumer products.”

During her time at Food Network, White oversaw the launches of shows such as Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions, Amy Schumer Learns to Cook, Buddy V Duff, Girl Meets Farm, Bobby & Giada in Italy and Cocktails & Tall Tales with Ina Garten & Melissa McCarthy. Earlier in her career she held executive roles at Travel Channel, HGTV, DIY and Great American Country.