Remember that most looks can be achieved with a very simple node structure and primaries only. Back in the color timing days they got only global RGB and density controls and made beautiful looking films that are used as references today. It took me years to understand the power of the basic controls.
Stefan got a sixth sense and has stated several times that he can see how an image should look like. Creating great looking images is all about knowing what makes your image look good, not about what buttons to push. Many of the Company 3 colorists use simlar techniques and learn from each other. So it could be a great idea to read some of the premium articles written by the CO3 colorists (Paul Ensby, Tyler Roth, Jill Bogdanowicz) to get some insight into the way they think. I also recommend to read Trish Cahill's article as her style is really close to Stefan's and it's also loaded with technicalities.