Wheelhouse Aligns with Food Network & HGTV Alum for JV

Courtney White, formerly president of Food Network and general manager of HGTV and Food, has formed a joint venture with Wheelhouse focused on food, home and lifestyle content.

Dubbed Butternut, the venture will create original content for all platforms, working with a range of established, emerging and homegrown talent.

White will also collaborate with Wheelhouse leadership and across all Wheelhouse divisions—including Wheelhouse Entertainment, marketing arm Wheelhouse Labs, digital division Wheelhouse DNA, and investment arm Wheelhouse 360—leveraging her production and creative expertise in culinary, home, design and lifestyle programming and her relationships with talent and brands.

Prior to establishing Butternut, White served as president of Food Network and streaming food content, launching such hits 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 and Melissa McCarthy. White was previously general manager and executive VP at HGTV and Food Network.

“The single, common element across all successful lifestyle content is passion—talent must project it, creators must harness it, audiences must feel it,” said White. “Personal passion for the lifestyle genre has been the essential factor in my own career trajectory and will be a fundamental tenet for Butternut as we work to create signature content born out of our vast enthusiasm for, and as, makers. Partnering with Brent and the Wheelhouse team supercharges our mission; Brent’s signature energy and infectious excitement for bold innovation in media and beyond will empower Butternut to fully realize its ambitions to deliver the genre’s very best to audiences and partners.”

Wheelhouse CEO Brent Montgomery said, “It’s thrilling to spot industry leaders at the top of their game and partner up to support them further as visionaries and entrepreneurs. There are very few in our business who know the lifestyle arena as well as Courtney, and who are trusted more by talent. We see Butternut not only as our lifestyle stronghold in content but in other potential businesses, from culinary to consumer products. This is an inspiring collaboration and we’re looking forward to rolling up our sleeves to support Courtney and her creative and business goals.”